A Shadowed Side

by Pvt. Bear

A young man with a troubled past finds himself torn between two lives. As a vengeful outlaw gang descends upon the Laramie Relay station, the young man must decide where his allegiance lies.

A Shadowed Side

Laramie Fanfiction

What happened to the little boy with the brown-red hair? He used to walk with his father to the fields and help his mother milk the cows. Where did he go? He seemed to get more distant and ran to the freedom of the mountains instead of chores. He played his guitar at nights under the stars. When did he become different? Was it when the school children told him he was weak and talked behind his back? He became angrier and violent, lashing out in harsh words to his parents. Why did he go to town that night? The cold night, the death night, his 'friends' told him to come, have some fun they said. Then it happened, only the boy knows the truth. He lives day and night with it. How did it happen? The sheriff says with a gun, his gun, the boy's. Who? Who could take a life, a life of a young girl? They said a coward, but if he gets asked, he'd say a killer. Is that what he is, a killer? Or a lost boy with a broken heart and a bad reputation placed on his shoulders?

Ch. 1

The rider stopped in front of the grave diggers. Both the diggers and the rider stared at each other for some time.

"What happened here? I just rode through town and the sheriff made me move on, no questions allowed."

The older grave digger rubbed the back of his dirty hand on his forehead and sighed, "Raymond gang hit the town. Seemed like they knew where everything was, even knew where the sheriff and his deputies were hiding out. Sheriff thinks it was the preacher that came in last week, tipped 'em off. Five men and the sheriff's wife died last night. He wants no strangers in town for now, don't take it to personal young fella."

The rider nodded and climbed off his horse.
"Need a hand?" he asked. One of the men through him a shovel and he began to dig one of the six graves.

About three hours later the men shook hands and headed off. The rider swung to the saddle and sat staring at the names. He turned his horse south of the town and with one last glance started off. He kept his horse at a medium pace, his eyes searching the ground for a sign or track. He reined his horse so suddenly that the horse stumbled. He saw it, as clear as writing, the sign that would be invisible to a sheriff or drifter. From the print he read that the men were headed south east, to the town Laramie. He turned his horse toward Laramie and let him have his head.

The young man kept his tired eyes on the road ahead. When he came upon a stream he slid off the horse, took a glance around and dunked his head in. He and his horse drank together, both lost in the cool and freshness. He felt relaxed, everything was calm. Then he felt the sudden movement of water as his horse suddenly pulled its head up. Just as quick as the horse the young man was up and turning around to see an old man holding a rifle with a hound dog by his side.

"Well are you gonna use it or keep it there?" The question he asked caught himself and the old man by surprise.

"That's a nice horse you got there mister, considerin' you took a drink from my river without permission, I should get your horse for that." He smiled a toothless smile and took a step forward. The young man made no attempt for his gun, but side stepped toward his horse.

"Old man, there was no sign, no fence, nothing saying this was your land. I ain't letting you take my horse." He smiled when he said that and kept his eyes on the rifle. The young man took his horse's reins and tied them to the horn, then he whistled. The horse's ears went forward and he stomped his hoof. The old man took steps toward the horse while the young man whistled again. The horse turned and crossed the wide river; it swam to the other side and stood waiting on the bank.

"Should not have done that boy, I needed that horse. I should kill ya for doing that."

"First old man, I am not a boy any longer. Second…" He reached forward and yanked the rifle out the man's hands, sending him on his butt.

"You have no gun to kill me with. Sorry old man, but today isn't your lucky day." He chucked the rifle far into a bush and turned, taking his gun belt off to wade into the water. The old man pointed his finger at the dog then the young man. The dog lunged at the young man's back; both man and dog fell into the water. Caught off guard, the young man struggled trying to get a foot on the rocks while trying to get the jaws of the dog off his shoulder. The dog let go and swam to the shore, the man did likewise. The young man pulled himself up and immediately the dog was on him again. The long nails clawed open his shirt and arm, the jaws clamped down his left hand. The young man grabbed a rock and smashed it on the head of the dog, which let go and rushed back to the old man who had his rifle again.

"Now BOY, get up slow and easy."

His gun belt lay inches from his hand. He closed his eyes thinking of the best way to get out of his current situation. His eyes jolted open when he heard the shots. Turning quickly to his stomach, placing his bloody hands on the grass and grabbing his belt bring the gun up he faced a man on horseback. The rider smiled at him, looked at the dead old man and his dog then back at the young man.

"R.S., Raymond is already angry with you being late, now he is gonna beat you for killin an innocent man. What have you to say about that?"

"He won't be angry with the report I got."

"So what kept you then?"

"Look, I don't get fresh horses at every town like you. And the last town I passed," He paused shaking his head, "Most dead I've seen yet. What did you do with her…before you shot the woman, I mean?"

He half-smiled at R.S, "What do you mean kid?"

"I saw the body, buried her myself. You're rotten you know that, how did it feel to kill a woman?"

"I don't know kid, how 'bout you tell me. Heard you'd done it before!" He sat smiling, the mean wickedness showing through his eyes. R.S. stood keeping his stare at the man, his hand hovering just above his gun.

"Don't forget kid, my gun is still in my hand." Shifting he set his arm down on the horn, revealing the six-shooter. "Got some job here for you from Raymond. Give me your report and I will give you the note."

"Did you read it?"

"NO." He replied angrily. Both men traded papers.

"Now call your horse back over and get riding, boss wants to see you in three days with another report." He turned his horse around and rode off leaving R.S. standing holding a note in one hand and looking at his other hand covered in blood. He whistled twice for his horse and stared at the dead. Tears sprang into his eyes and he sniffled some.

"How did I get into this mess, somebody kill me!" He mumbled to himself. The paper wet with blood and sweat almost fell apart when he opened it:
R.S.
Go to Sherman Relay Station
Learn everything about Sherman
and his ranch hand
don't get caught
I will meet you at river
in three days
Raymond

He swung on his horse and rode off leaving the man and his dog laying on the grass. The crumpled letter dissolving in the river erased all traces of the plan.

Is that what he is, a killer? Or a lost boy with a broken heart and a bad reputation placed on his shoulders?

Ch. 2

He stopped at the fully loaded wagon on the side of the road. The old woman standing in front of him and the wagon never saw or heard him approach. He looked at her for some time, noticing her white hair and blue dress with a white apron tied in a bow in the back. He followed her gaze to a limb on a tree. A little boy hung from the tree, his shirt caught up on the back collar, slowly ripping, dropping him closer to his death. Without hesitation R.S. grabbed his rope and slid off the saddle leaving a trail of blood down the side. He walked past the startled woman and started climbing the tree, picking a specific route that would get him above the boy and in a better place to loop the rope around him. With careful climbing he was above the boy and starting to lower the rope.

"Can you slip this around your waist?" R.S. could feel himself getting dizzy and starting to slip from the branch. The blood from his hand completely soaked the bandanna covering it.

"I...I think so." The boy grabbed for the rope quickly and got it around himself just as his shirt ripped. The boy dangled above the ground, he looked up at his savior. R.S tried to focus his eyes on the ground, but everything became blurry and he passed out.

Daisy had told Mike not to climb the tree, but he was persistent in getting the apples for a pie. She didn't hear the man ride up and was shocked to see him walk past without saying a word. She noticed he wore his wore two guns on different belts and his hat was black with red lines streaking across it. She looked at his torn, black shirt then noticed his wrapped hand with drops of blood falling off it. She felt sad just by looking at the man and a little shocked a man could be walking and climbing a tree looking like that. Daisy gasped when she saw Mike dangling above the ground and then when the man slipped. He held on by one hand, but didn't try to get back up, he just hung there with his head on his chest.

R.S. hung there breathing hard, he opened his eyes and saw the young boy looking at him. The brown eyes looked up at him with a pleading sense not to let go. R.S. swung his legs up wrapping them around the branch letting his bad hand go free of the branch. He was upside down, parallel to the ground, lowering the young boy down. He saw the old woman run toward him and take the loop off him. R.S. let the rope go and he hung there for a moment, his legs holding him there as he listened to the world around him. The fall leaves rustled against each other in the wind, a squirrel scampered up the bark next to him. Water hit against a stone, a fox scratched at the ground looking for food.

"Yo'įį...Yidits'įh...Deyaa." R.S. opened his eyes and looked for the source of the words, but soon realized he said them himself. He grabbed for the branch below him and swung down, grabbing the next branch with his legs and repeating the cycle all the way down. He looked at the two people staring at him when he hit the ground. He touched the brim of his hat and nodded, then went to his horse.

"Thank you mister." A small, squeaky voice retorted

R.S. stopped and nodded his head again, not turning around.

"Yes, thank you for saving Mike. Could I repay you with lunch or mending your hand? Our ranch is not far from here, just down the road." Daisy took her hands off Mike and moved toward the stranger. R.S. started getting dizzy again and started to fall forward; he felt his good arm wrap around a shoulder. He tried to push the old woman back, but his strength failed him.

"Deyaa, no ayudar." He whispered.

"Aunt Daisy what is he saying?"

"I don't know Mike, but it is something in Spanish. Maybe Jess will know when he gets back. Get his horse and tie it to the wagon." She turned to the man and saw how young he looked. The beard and dirt made him look ten years older than he really was. "Young man can you hear me? Could you tell me your name?"

"tł'iish, mi nombre no importante. Deyaa, no ayudar." R.S. slipped into darkness while he felt himself being laid in a wagon.

"I'm gonna be a cowboy and own the biggest spread ever! And you are going to be my partner and...and everyone will respect us."

"Jay, your pa will have your hide if he finds you here. You know he hates you hanging around with my kind."

"He..he just can't get over about losing the war and giving you guys freedom. I don't care what he thinks, I'm eight and I can make my own decisions now. He don't care nothing about me, only his land and keeping them Apache off it!"

"Hush Jay, I hear footsteps coming, might be your pa."

"Tate! Tate! Get your black hide out here!"

"You calling me Mr. Guard?

"Come on Tate, the Indians are attacking my place, I need help! Sarah is there alone, come on!"

"You wait here Jay, don't come home... Jay you understand."

He watched Tate and his father ride off down the road. He took to the woods behind his house. Jay made it to see his house burning down. He crouched down behind a tree and saw the dust of his father and Tate coming. An arrow took his father off the saddle, he was dead before he hit the ground. He watched as the other Apaches tortured and killed his only friend. The Apaches rode off taking his mother with them, leaving the house burning and the dead rotting. Jay waited behind the tree, watching until the house burned down. Jay took a shovel and dug the graves. He saw the riders come up, but kept on digging. He could tell from their clothing who they were, Apaches.

The five riders looked at one another then at Jay. One stuck his gun at Jay who hit it away,
"Don't point a gun at me."

Another one moved his horse behind Jay. He also stuck his gun at Jay, who again hit it away and lifted his voice, "I am warning you, keep the gun away from me."

The Apache in front of him swung off his horse and came near him smiling. Jay brought his hands down to his hips and lowered his head. The Apache grabbed toward Jay's shoulder and was met with a punch to the gut and face. The other Apaches laughed and started talking in their own language toward their friend. The Apache touched his face and looked at the blood on his fingers. He stood up and started laughing and nodding.

"You good fighter, for such small child. We Western Apache, come here find food. Saw smoke, got curious. Saw renegade Apaches ride off. You remind me of Rattlesnake, it looks innocent and beautiful, but can strike at any moment. I see you have no home, come with us, we treat well. Be my son!" Jay nodded and swung up with the Apache. They rode away, Jay looked back for a last glance of his home. He wiped a tear from his eye and whispered 'sorry,' then turned back around.

Ch. 3

He watched as she wrapped his hand in a new fresh bandage.

"What's your name?" Daisy asked him, which broke his concentration. R.S. shifted his eyes to her face and looked into them for a moment then looked away. "I know you can talk. Now don't be shy tell me your name!" Daisy laughed and kept looking at him for answer, but received nothing in return.

Horses were heard coming up to the house.

"Looks like Slim and Jess are back, Mike why don't you go put their horses away. Thank you dear." She turned back around to the stranger. "I'll explain everything just stay quiet for now." He looked at her with a confused look that said "What have I been sayin?"!

The laughter of two men was heard before the door was opened. First a man with blond hair walked in followed by a black haired man. The black haired man looked at Daisy then at the stranger, his smile faded and he drew his gun. Simultaneously, R.S. made eye contact with the man and could tell from his eyes what was about to happen, so he stood suddenly, but instead held a pair of scissors by his thigh.

To Jess everything happens in slow motion when he entered the house. He was joking with Slim about how much work he does, he remembers turning his head and seeing a face he knew too well from the war. Jess's eyes narrowed and his instinct to grab his gun kicked in, now he stood gun drawn on a man he would love to kill. His fingered slowly tightened on the trigger when he snapped out of his thoughts.

"Jess! What are you doing?" Slim yelled.

"What Slim?" Jess still stared at his enemy, but stopped pressing the trigger after Slim started to yell.

"Put your gun away right…"

"NO Slim, he deserves this!" Jess yelled back to his surprised friend. The two friends argued and Daisy even jumped into the verbal discussion. R.S. slowly put the scissors on the table, trying not to draw attention or the trigger-happy man called Jess toward him. He closed his eyes and took a long breath in then out.

"Mister, it would be wise if you'd holster your gun." His sudden words made everyone stop arguing and stare at him.

"What did you say to me old man?" Jess replied.

"Now mister you must be confused or you are one big child. Who do you say I am?" R.S. stood there looking at Jess with a half-smile.

"Yeah Jess, what is this about?" Slim asked.
Jess stood huffing, "This man, if you can call him that, is one of the biggest war traitors I have met. He and I were friends, we were both from the same place seemed like I found...found someone like me. Then he goes off one night while he is a night guard and a few minutes later we wake up and Union troops are all around us. When we are all rounded up like wild horses, I see him collectin' money from a Union officer and wearing a stinkin' blue hat. I fought my way toward him till some troops landed one on the back of my head. Last thing he said to me while I was groggy was 'I was going to cut you in the deal until I realized that I would be sharing money with a Reb.' So you see I gotta get him for all the pain he caused me."

"You're Jess Harper. I heard about you, my pa told me stories about a reb named Jess Harper."

"Don't try to play yourself off of someone else..."

"Hold it Mister, now listen to me good hear. I am the son of and don't you say anything bad about him. I know all about his army days and how he spied for both sides, how he cheated death and how he betrayed a friend of his. Do you know what money does to a man? It can grab hold and blind them, it takes a courageous man to let easy money go and actually work for a change. It takes an even bigger man to go into a fight with no chance of survival, so say what you want, but he died a hero. Now point that gun somewhere else or holster it cause you are not going to be able to hold a gun for weeks if you don't."

Jess stared at him, "O.K. so you're his kid, but I am not holstering my gun till I see proof." R.S. clenched his fists and started to roll his tongue for a few seconds then stopped. He moved so quick Jess didn't have time to react; he punched Jess in the elbow knocking his arm. Then R.S. twisted Jess's wrist and popped it out of place and grabbed his gun as it fell. With Jess's gun R.S. smiled at the shocked faces and then looked Jess in the eye.

Ch. 4

"No using this hand for a while Jess, what were you doing?"

"Uhh, sir…I did that."

"You did that?"

"Yes sir, he was pointing a gun at me. So I took it away from him."

R.S. remembered the look the doctor gave him, the look of disgust and fear. He saw as the doctor got up and talked with the tall one named Slim, both of their eyes shifting from him to the ground. He remembered back to a town he lived in a while ago and a man with the same look.

Slim walked out of the house to see the stranger with his back to one of the posts and his hat tilted forward. Slim walked quietly over to his horse which was tied just in front of the stranger. The horse looked at the person walking toward him and hit the ground with his hoof. Slim looked at the stranger, but seeing no movement kept walking toward the horse. Slim touched the side of the saddle and moved his hand toward the saddle bags. The horse moved his head around readying to bite Slim when R.S. shot his hand out and grabbed the bridle. Slim stood back, away from the horse and looked at the stranger.

"He didn't understand Thii, no need to get angry." The horse snorted back at his owner and shook his head. "I know, Ashoge."

"That was really fast movements you made on Jess. What's your name stranger?"

R.S. kept his head down, but moved his hand back to his belt to hook his fingers in the gun belt. "Well most people call me R.S."

"So R.S. why you here?

"Came to find a man named Slim Sherman."

"What for?"

"Heard he was a fine man to work for and respectful."

"We aren't hiring here."

"Well, from my view Mr. Sherman, your ranch hand ain't much use with a bad hand. So this is what I will do, you don't pay me. I work off what I owe for bandaging my hand."

"I have to talk with Jess." He turned back toward the house then stopped, "What did you say to your horse?"

"Thii, he apologized, so I said thank you to him."

Slim nodded and started walking back he heard the horse grumble and listened for his rider's response. "Chickasaw, shil nzhoo. It's ok Thii."

"Send him away Slim, trust me he's probably like his father."

"Jess, I can't run this without help and it would only be for a while."

"Slim, I got a feeling he can't be trusted."

"If he works here, you look after him. Make sure he does what he is supposed to."

"O.K. Slim, but I am warning you."

R.S. sat in the chair outside tuning his guitar. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a small figure coming toward him.

"Hey mister, thanks again for saving me. What's your name?"

"R.S."

"Oh, mine is Mike." He paused. "What's R.S. stand for?"

"Well you see, I was raised by Apaches for three years and they have different names for them then white people do..."

He looked up to see Jess staring at him, the blues eyes narrowing. "Mike, supper's ready." The young boy jumped up and ran inside.

R.S. stood and walked toward his horse, "Sorry 'bout your hand, didn't mean to twist it so much."

"Don't try anything, I know you're like your father. You hurt anyone here in any way, I personally will hunt you down."

"I don't know who you think you are Harper, but don't ever threaten me again. I don't know what it will take for you to trust me and I don't want to hurt your friends or you again."

"Next time it won't be easy taking my gun away boy."

R.S. grabbed Jess's shirt and stared into his eyes, "Don't call me that." The two men kept the gaze until the voice of Daisy floated out of the house. "Jess, tell R.S. to come eat with us."
R.S. dropped his hand and rubbed it on his pants leg.

"Slim...said you can work here, but you answer to me. Put your horse away, then come in and eat and get some sleep; we have an extra bed."

"No thanks, I can't...I'm not hungry. I will sleep with my horse in the barn." He kept his gaze down, avoiding Jess's eyes. He untied his horse and walked it toward the barn still keeping his head down. Jess watched the young man all the way to the barn. He was stunned by the young man's change in attitude, how quickly it changed. He thought he heard the young man sniffle when he was walking away. Jess turned and walked back into the house.

"Jay, will you help me up already?"

"Mary, girls don't climb trees." The young boy looked down at his friend. "If my ma found me sneakin' my church pants off and giving them to a girl, you know what she'd do."

"That means you're afraid Jay, you're acting like a girl. Are you a girl Jay?"

"Give me your hand."

"James Jay Guard, you are the kindest person I've ever known."

"Mary Katherine Cooper, you are the stubbornest girl I have ever met. Maybe that's how we became friends." The two children sat in the tree sucking candy sticks. Jay looked at his old pocket watch, "I gotta go Mary, Billy Tate needs help at the barn."

"Will you help me down Jay?" The young boy sighed and helped his friend down. He turned away as she changed back into her dress. "Will you meet back here tonight, pa said you could eat with us again."

"I have to ask ma, but probably can. Either way I will bring your present tonight."

"I thought you forgot! Oh Jay, you remembered!"

"Of course, you thought I would forget my best friends seventh birthday?"

"Well, you didn't say anything all day." She turned to go, but then remembered something else, "Jay, don't let Billy Tate cut your hair any shorter I like seeing your brownish/red hair like it is now. And sorry I called you a girl."

"I promise he won't touch it anymore. I don't mind Mary, I know you didn't mean it." He half smiled at her a picked a flower from a bush, smelled it then gave it to her. They both laughed and ran back toward town.

The young children changed that day, maybe they realized how strong their friendship was going to be. A friendship that would last through tragedy and heartbreak, war and death. A young boy changed into a man to quickly, deprived of a childhood and learning lessons of life. A young girl left wondering and forgotten, changing into a woman slowly and with practice. Still a friendship lives in the shadows, the bond never broken. But when will it emerge and when it does, will it bend or break under pressure?

Ch. 5

His vision was blurred by tears, his hand wiping away at his nose. R.S. stood in the stall looking at the ground, tears streaming down his face. He started shaking when he thought back to the dead bodies, the dog attack, and then his recent gun "battle". And now he was invited to dinner, "You know Thii, that's the first kind, civil thing anyone has said to me in years. How did we end up like this?" The horse placed his head on his owners shoulder and whinnied.

"I remember sitting down with ma and pa, we'd talk about the horses and cattle we were gonna get. Then ma would serve peach cobbler, a special recipe she was gonna teach me. One of the few things I can really make! You know I learned more with the Apache of survival then I did with people like me."

He stripped his horse, used the saddle to make a pillow. He spread his blankets out and took his first gun belt off, putting it on a hook in the stable, laying the second underneath his saddle for protection. He sat down and grabbed his saddle bags, took out papers then grabbed his guitar.

Slim strode toward the barn, in hopes of persuading the new hand to sleep inside. He reached the barndoor, but stopped when he heard singing.

"The sky don't go, if the sun don't shine. And the moon don't go if there ain't no time And the people they walk, all in the streets. Not worryin/ about the poor woman that weeps."

Slim stepped on a rock making a soft crunching sound, the guitar immediately stopped. Slim pushed the door to the barn open a little more and stepped into the dark room. He saw the black horse standing in the stall, but no rider. Slim stopped moving when he felt a gun barrel pressed into his back/

"Whoa, it's me Slim Sherman." The gun immediately dropped.

"Sorry Mr. Sherman." R.S. walked past Slim and into his stable. "I learned to be aware of small sounds when living in Apache country."

"I would learn to adapt to if there were Apache around me also."

"Not Apaches, Mr. Sherman, White men. They attack at night, looking for scalps, it was very dangerous to sleep at the base of a mountain."

Slim paused reflecting on the comment then replied, "Uhh, Daisy wanted me to invite you inside."

"Please tell her that I am fine sleeping with Thii." Slim noticed how embarrassed the young man looked.

"Well ok, but get ready to work hard tomorrow then."

*********

He worked on the south side of the fence with the sun just rising. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took a sip of water. R.S. pulled the old pocket watch from his saddle and sighed.
"Six... Thii, we've been working two hours with no break. Let's head back before somebody wonders where we are." He traveled slowly listening to his horse's hooves hit the ground.
"Walkin/ down, to the place where the buffalo roam. Fields of greens and trees as high as the sky. The arrows fall, the bullets rise, not one Indian is left alive. And the old white man named Uncle Sam ...is the best of the broken West."

Jess stood on the porch, stretching his arms above him. Yawning, he started toward the barn. Jess turned and saw R.S. coming down the hill. Somebody tapped Jess on the shoulder, as he turned around a knock-out punch landed square on his face. Somebody was shaking Jess and trying to tell him something.

"Listen Harper…'et out now...if…don't you'll...worse...beware..." Jess slipped back into darkness.

"Hey Jess are you alright?"

The blues eyes slowly opened and focused on the young man over top him. "Yeah, get away from me kid." Jess touched his nose and felt the blood running from it."

"Please Jess, you don't look well and I don't wanna hurt you..." He paused. "Don't call me kid or boy or son, I ain't neither. I'm a man and don't forget it."

"If you're a man prove it to me. Stand here until I tell you to move, you understand me KID!"
R.S. grabbed Jess's wrist and squeezed hard. Tears sprang up in Jess's eyes, tears of anger and pain. R.S. tilted his head to the side as if listening to something, his grip loosened on Jess. He turned sharply and his hand slid to his gun. A horse with a rider was coming down the hill, a flash of light bounced off the chest of the rider. R.S. immediately turned and helped Jess to his feet, "Fine Harper, I prove to you anything if it gets you off my back."
Jess was stunned again by the sudden change in the young man and he also looked at the rider.

"Howdy Mort!"

"Mornin Jess, Slim still here?"

"Yeah Mort, he is not leaving till the stage pulls in." Mort looked at R.S. standing, looking down.

"Who is he?"

"His name is..."

"I am working for Mr. Sherman while Jess is laid up...Sir"

"That horse looks familiar, where'd you get it son?"

"Raised it when it was a colt, Sir." R.S. looked up and stared into Mort's eyes.

"Do I know you from somewhere boy?"

"No sir!"
"Why are you just standing there?"

"Mort, I can answer that." Jess jumped back into the conversation, "He is trying to prove to me how much of a man he is. I challenged him to see if he obeys commands."

Mort and Jess chuckled some and then when into the house. The winds picked up and the sky darkened, the horse stomped his hoof on the hard earth and snorted. A cold drop of rain hit Thii's mane and sent him bucking. The noise outside brought Jess and Mort, "Can your horse not stand a little rain?" Jess laughed and patted Mort on his back.

"I gotta go Jess, before the storm really starts up."

Jess watched the sheriff ride away, then turned to the young man. "You can come inside before the rain hits, boy." The rain started to fall harder and Jess retreated to the house. He looked up at the sky and watched the lightning flash, then looked at the young man who never flinched. Jess rubbed the back of his neck and went in the house.

R.S. felt the rain hit his back and sting is bare arms. He tipped his hat back to protect his neck and closed his eyes.
"Let's go! *bang bang* Let's go!"
R.S. opened his eyes and noticed the rain stopped hitting behind him. He felt his horse's body against his back, R.S. smiled, closed his eyes, and tilted his head back letting the rain hit his face.
"What happened here?"
"He did it!"
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Look I can't be your lawyer if I think you are already guilty."
"She's dead. But I didn't do it."

R.S. brought his wet face to his chin. He grabbed his guns and held them in his hands while sinking to his knees in the mud.
"I didn't kill her and if I did, it would not have been that way. I know who did Thii, the same one who tried to hang me back in Summit. That's where..." A crack of thunder broke the sky, but that is not what caused the young man to turn around. He waited for a minute, then heard it again. He got to his feet and started to turn, but stopped suddenly. The young man looked at his muddy boots then at the house and again at his boots. He sighed and took his hat off laying it on the mud in front of his feet, the words "Prove to me!" played in his head.

*******

"You can eat dinner now Jess." Daisy's stern voice cut into Jess's thinking. The change of attitude made Jess suspicious and he cautiously made his way out of his room.

"I'm glad you did the right thing, here eat up you must be hungry." Daisy placed a full plate in front of the cautious man. He stared at the food deciding what to say, but his hunger overtook him and he started eating.

"Where'd you send him pard?" Slim asked sitting at the table.

"Who?" Jess replied.

"R.S. where is he?"

"He should be standing out in the rain."

"You mean you didn't send him in." Daisy butted in and, with an angry look, took Jess's plate away.

"Daisy stop treating me like a little boy, come on I'm hungry."

"If you stopped acting like a little boy I would not treat you like one. Mike is being more mature than you right now."

"He wants to prove something to me so I am letting him."

"No Jess." Slim cut back in. "You have been all over this boy since you met him. He's doing this for acceptance, you want this for yourself. Stop living in the past and look at the future." He turned, "Mike will you check the barn for R.S.?"

Jess sat clenching his fists as Mike ran out the door, "He's just like his father."

"You don't know that Jess, you haven't given him a chance."

"He's playing you Slim, you can see it in his eyes."

"Jess, Slim!" Mike came running in soaking wet. "I found his hat laying in the mud, he's not in the barn."

Daisy put her hands to her face, "I hope you didn't make him run away, Mr. Harper." She sharply turned and walked into her room.

"For once Jess, look past your anger you ain't just hurting him." Slim walked over to Mike and grabbedthe hat. "Want some pie Mike?"

"Sure Slim!"

Jess walked to the window, watching the rain hit it. As he turned away he heard a whinny. "Slim."

"I'm not arguing the point anymore Jess."

"Slim, come here, someone's coming." The two men watched as the rain hit harder and saw a black horse top the rise followed by three other horses pulling the stage. The stage slipped on the mud and started to tip sideways, but the person driving the stage, rode on two wheels before righting it again.

A man covered in mud and blood slid off the seat and opened the stage door, he lifted his vest off and covered a woman's head. Then he lifted her up, holding her gently in his arms, walking as fast as he could to get her to the house. Slim and Jess watched stunned until the door burst open. The man laid the woman down on the floor, took his vest and went back out in the storm. Daisy rushed out of her room to the woman, who had now sat up.

"Oh, what happened dear?" Before she answered the man brought another woman in the same way, but put her in a chair. His wet hair stuck to his face, but the woman still looked at him intently until he turned and walked out the door. Jess and Slim followed him to the stage where all three of them lifted an unconscious man from the stage and into the house.

"Daisy, we're gonna need help in here." Slim yelled when he laid the man on the bed. The older woman rushed in and immediately started checking the spots where blood was trickling out. Slim turned to R.S. who stood pushing his hair back to put his hat on.

"What happened?"

"Well, from what he told me before he passed out," R.S. paused and wiped his bloody hand on his chest, "Lightning hit a tree and he got most of it when it happened."

"How did you know?"

"I can probably answer mister." The second girl that R.S. helped stood and walked toward them, "My brother taught me how to use a gun to protect myself, when Roy got hurt I thought if I fired some shots in the air someone might hear them. A few minutes after the second shot that young man rides up and stops Roy's bleeding, best he could of course. Told us women to stay inside cause lightning could always strike the same place twice. Well, he hitched his horse up front said something to him in a different language and then started us off toward your place and now here we are."

"Thank you Miss ahh..."

"Mary Cooper and you?"

"Slim Sherman Miz Cooper."

"Slim, I'm gonna put the horses away." R.S. turned and walked out. A grin appeared on Mary's face as he passed and she turned and followed him.

"She related to Daisy?"
"No, but I wouldn't mind her as a daughter one bit." Daisy smiled and went back to Roy.

R.S. walked to the horse while the rain still poured. He smiled to himself as he thought about Mary.

"James Jay Guard you stop right there!"

He kept walking hoping she'd guess she made a mistake.

"James if I have to go out in that rain and get my hair wet, I'll...I'll punch you in the face. You know I'll do," She pause, "And if you forgot get ready 'cause you're about to see!"

"Mary don't!" He stepped toward her, his hand stretched out to stop her.

"James get out of the rain and come here."

R.S. looked toward the horses then back at her. Her black hair stuck to her face, wet and dripping. He looked into her brown eyes and smiled, "I see you're not afraid of storms anymore!"
He walked to where he could stand next to her.

"I'm sorry."

"Jay, you didn't do anything."

"Where's your brother?"

"He's off fighting the Apache."

"Oh, and how's your father doing?"

"I don't know we stopped talking after..." She hesitated.

"What's wrong Mary? Did he hurt you again?"

"The day your parents...the day they died, Max Titus saw everything. He rode back to town and told the sheriff, well the sheriff and some men rode out to your ranch, my father included. They saw the devastation and saw you riding away with some Apache, they believed you helped kill your parents. I went back to the tree, hoping you were going to show up, I went every year on my birthday and you never showed. I rode my horse to the mountains and father followed me once. He said I should forget about a traitor and then he hit me some. I got so angry that I grabbed his gun and pointed it at him. He lunged at me and I shot him, I didn't mean to. He didn't die, but we haven't spoken since. We didn't even talk when I went to school back east."

"You're wrong."

"What?"
"Every year on your birthday, I went back. The first time you wore your Sunday blue dress and you had a lily in your hair. I studied your horses' prints and followed them sometimes. I made you presents and left them on your window. Then, the renegade Apache started burnin' again and we had to move to the mountains. I was riding one day looking for one of our horses, which had gotten away in the night. I came upon a troop of Calvary soldiers, what was left of them. They were all laid out on the ground, some were trying to crawl away. I rode through, the ones trying to crawl away went for guns, but were too weak to grab them, and instead they watched in fear." He paused, sniffling a little. "They were like me, same age and same cause for fighting. Land and power. I kept on riding through and came across a soldier laying on his back, I knew who he was and he knew who I was. I slid of my horse and grabbed his canteen." R.S. stopped and bit his finger, "I...I gotta put the horses inside." He turned and led the horses in the barn. Mary stood and watched her troubled friend walk away, she looked down and went into the house.

"Drink the water soldier."

"You're with them, Mary did not want to believe it, me neither. I see we both were wrong."

"My people did not do this, but if your people did not want land so much maybe we all would live in peace."

"Did you forget we are your people first, did you forget your parents, Mary and me?"

"I never forget anything Jacob, let me help you and your men."

The soldier looked away, tears slowly rolling down his face. After getting all the horses he could find R.S. placed each soldier on a horse and started off. After three days on the desert the Apache and Soldiers made it to a fort. R.S. watched from a distant as the soldiers slowly rode in. In his hands he held the American flag and the hat of a soldier. He remembered everything, every little detail and every sound. He remembers holding his friend in his arms and watching him slowly die on a never-ending journey. He looked at the name on the hat,
Jacob Sounder Cooper

Ch. 6

"I will say again Mr. Sherman, you have the best relay station I have ever been to." The older woman remarked to Slim, who sat across from her at the table.

"Thank you Mrs. Penny." Slim replied back to her.

"Oh and I love your ranch hand, he was so kind and polite to us. Will you tell him thank you for me?" Slim nodded and watched the older woman get up and walk to the room, where Roy the stage driver was laying. Slim turned to Jess, who was eating a cold piece of chicken next to him.

"Tell R.S. I want to see him, ok Jess?"

"O.K. Slim, let me just finish this." As Jess got up from the table, Mary walked in and sat down. Jess looked at the young woman and walked toward her.

"Howdy Miss, anything I can do for you?"

"No, I am fine. Just a little tired." Mary adjusted her sitting position with her back faced toward Jess. Feeling a little rejected, Jess walked out toward the barn. He slipped into the barn silently and unnoticed. Jess walked to where he could watch the new hand and not be seen or heard. He closed his eyes and tried to erase the image of the young man's father from his mind. He opened them and started looking at the young man once again from a new perspective.

His brown hair, still wet, clung to his forehead. The normally slick hair, was messed up and now fell over the young man's ears. His blue eyes showed innocence and pain, but softened when he put his hand on a horse. R.S. was built tall and strong, he stood three inches taller than Jess and Slim. Jess saw the man's clothes were old and torn in some places, the brown shirt torn just above the left shoulder and the black pants torn at the knees. The only item of clothing that was in perfect condition that Jess could see was the vest. R.S. left it hanging near the spot Jess was standing. It was a silvery-black and had names stitched into them in brown near the pockets. Jess then shifted his eyes to the gun belts. Two gun belts, two different guns and one man. Jess had seen how R.S. wore them; the left gun belt underneath the right belt and farther down his waist.

"How about you step out of the shadows, Jess."

Jess was stunned at first. He considered whether to come out, but after some thought he managed to move his feet forward.

"Slim wants you to come inside, we want you to come inside." R.S. turned his head slightly when he heard Jess say 'we'.

"I have to finish with the horses, this filly is very scared still."

"Come when you can then." Jess turned and ran into Mrs. Penny. "Sorry ma'am didn't see you there."

"Oh, it's ok young man. I just came to talk to your young ranch hand. I will meet you inside, you sweety!" She kissed Jess on the cheek then walked toward R.S.. Jess a little repulsed, walked quickly to the house rubbing his cheek.

"Rattlesnake." The voice echoed with the thunder in the barn. R.S. turned slowly, moving his hand to his gun. "Rattlesnake." This time it came slower and the man held the 'e' longer.
"You make a very convincing old woman, Grandma!"

"Hold your tongue Snake, Raymond is getting restless he hopes you have news for tomorrow."

"Sherman is leaving on the stage, I thought I had to stick to Sherman."

"No, no. You have to stay here, I am Sherman's guardian in a way. Just make sure you get to the river tomorrow, 'round noon."

"Why you an old woman, grandma? Didn't know Raymond would send a woman to do a man's job!"

"Listen Snake, I can whip your butt anytime. They got my face out on posters, since our last raid. Terry and Corsin are out doing something else with the rest of the men, I was the only one left. Knew the law tightened up, so I thought no one would pester an old woman."

"Hey Grandma, is this how you got your name?"

"No." He turned his back on R.S., "I'm wanted for murder like you, except I don't go after young, cheap girls. I go for the old and wealthy. Raymond just sort of came up with the name, so it stuck. You'll better be there tomorrow Rattlesnake or Raymond is gonna have to go huntin'. We both know he hates huntin'." R.S. watched as the man put his wig back on and walked toward the house.

******

R.S. stood nervously in front of Slim. He felt like he was standing in front of his class when he was younger, all the eyes were upon him because he screwed up again. The voice of Slim cut through R.S.'s thoughts.

"I'm going to be gone for a few days and I expect you and Jess to hold the fort while I am gone. Mike and Daisy are staying here for the first day, then are heading to Cheyenne to visit one of Mike's friends who is leaving to go back East. Do you think you and Jess will be able to stand each other for a few days alone?"

"Yes sir, Jess and I don't have any issues with each other. Just a few misunderstandings."

"R.S., how did you know about the stage?"

"Like I said in the barn sir, I am Apache. I think that should explain itself." Slim nodded and shook hands with the young man.

"You're not Apache. You're...you're not an Apache." Both men looked at Mary, who stood with a stern face looking at R.S. "You might have lived with them for a while, but you never had the same passion of killing like they did or else you would have been an outlaw already. And I don't believe you're a kil..."

"Young lady!" Mrs. Penny or in other words Grandma cut in, "Young lady would you be so kind and help an old woman to her bed." Mary looked at the woman then at R.S. She nodded and turned, but not before R.S. spotted a flash of fear in Mary's eyes.

"Slim!" Daisy broke the tension between the tense conversations.

"Slim could you please come here." Slim walked into the room where Roy lay.

"What's wrong Daisy? Can he drive the stage tomorrow?"

"Yes, he can, but only to Laramie. I thought it odd at first Slim, but then I found it and everything made sense."

"What Daisy?"

"I found burns on Roy's chest, but the lightning was not close enough to give him this kind of burn. I have been pulling wood, splinters out from Roy's chest. In this piece I found my answer to the burns."

"Daisy, this is part of a bullet. Are you saying that Roy was shot at?"

"I am afraid so Slim, but by some miracle the lightning hit just as the bullet was fired. The wood took the impact and shattered into pieces, but still had enough force to hit Roy. He just needs to rest, but I am sure he can make it Laramie tomorrow."

"Why would someone shoot at Roy?" Slim paused, "Daisy, do you think the Raymond gang could be around here?"

"Slim, Mort said they were going toward Canada, there is no point for them to stop here. How about you get some rest, you are going on a trip tomorrow."

"Ok Daisy, promise me you can try and keep Jess and R.S. from fighting while I am gone."

"I will Slim, see you in the morning."

Jess lay in his bed, the moon shining through his window. His eyes opened suddenly, he looked over at Slim who was still sleeping. Jess had that feeling that something was wrong, something around the ranch felt different to him. He pulled his pants and boots on and grabbed his gun. He cautiously opened his door to the eerie silence of the house. He slowly, quietly walked to the table looking around. Seeing nothing out of place, Jess walked to the door and opened it. He stepped out on the porch and looked around. The rain had stopped sometime before he went to sleep, but the hot air still remained. He felt that sense again, but this time it felt closer. He pulled the hammer back and was turning to go back inside when he fell.

Slim heard a thud and looked over at Jess's bed. Seeing a body under the covers and realizing his friend had not heard the sound he settled back into his bed. After some minutes, the body in the bed looked over at Slim, the moon glistening off his bald head. He quietly stepped out of the room and head toward the front door. He could hear his partner grunting and struggling outside. He stood watching as his friend wrestled the famous Jess Harper.

"For having a bad wrist Harper, you put up a fight." The bald man motioned for the man behind thehouse to help their struggling friend. The man walked up to Jess and grabbed him by his hair yanking him back. "Idaho, teach Harper a lesson and," He paused putting his finger up, "don't knock him out this time."

"Can…can I help...please Cowboy?" The young, skinny man shook and pointed at his chest, then at Jess.

"After Idaho gets some time with Harper, then you can Jumpy."

Idaho, still grabbing Jess's hair pulled him some feet then dropped him. Jess jumped up on his feet and lunged toward the man. Idaho side stepped and grabbed Jess's arms pulling them above his head.

"Jumpy, you're up." The skinny man ran toward Jess, but stopped and looked at his feet. He saw the gun that Jess dropped and grabbed it taking the bullets out. He reached into his back pocket for a tool. Jumpy used the tool to pry the bullet open.

"Palm...palm up I…Idaho." Jumpy poured the powder onto Jess's open palm. He then reached for a match.

"Wait jumpy, use my cigar. Idaho hold that bad wrist of his and that arm, but stand back." Cowboy looked at Jess and chuckled

Jumpy grabbed at the cigar and brought it to Jess's hand, but he stopped.
"Cow...Cowboy can you gag h...him?"

"Love to." He grabbed his bandanna and tied it around Jess's mouth. He also put his large hand over Jess's mouth. Jumpy was putting more powder on Jess's hand during this time.

"We...we ready?"

Everyone nodded and watch as Jumpy placed the cigar on Jess's hand, they watched as the powder ignited and started to burn. Jess went rigid and made a muffled yell toward the sky. He squeezed his eyes shut, hearing his tormentors laughing. They threw him on the ground when the flame went out, Cowboy knelt by him to untie the bandanna. "Like we said last time Harper, get out now, or you'll get even worse. Sherman doesn't need you anymore, leave." They pushed Jess on his back as they walked away, Jess heard horses being ridden away. He lay there holding his hand, tears rolling down his face. He heard the sound of approaching feet and tried to move, but the pain in his hand effected his whole body. Instead, he waited till the sound of footsteps stopped in front of him.

"Slim." He choked out. "Slim, help me." He saw a dark figure of someone and then he passed out.

R.S. wiped a tear from his eye. He had met men who would cry out for their mothers when they were close to death, or they would swear and curse on their death bed. He looked down at Jess with so much hatred, but, at the same time, couldn't help feeling sorry for him. R.S. took his knife out and made three slashes on Jess's arms, which resembled cougar scratches. He then dunked his own head in the water trough and rubbed mud on his arms. Satisfied he walked inside and slowly breathed in and out, he stopped outside Slim's door.

"Slim, Slim come quick!"

"Wha...what!" replied the sleepy-eyed man.

"Jess got hurt in a cougar attack, come on Slim!"

"Jess...Cougar...Hurt?"

"Slim he ain't lookin good, ain't looking good at all." By that time Slim had his pants on and started putting his boots on. "I'm sorry Slim, I...I couldn't get to him in time, but I did scare the cat away." Slim rushed out the door to see blood dripping from Jess's hand and arm.

"R.S. please go inside and wake Daisy, please."

Slim turned to Jess, "Jess, pard you there."

"Slim...burned...hurts...help." Jess through clenched teeth.

"It's ok, pard Daisy is coming."

"Slim, oh I heard Jess got attacked by a cougar." Daisy rushed to Slim's side, holding the lamp closer to Jess's wounds. "Let's get him inside Slim."

R.S. stepped over to help Slim, but Slim pushed him away and picked Jess up on his own. He watched as the family went inside, anger filled his head. He looked at his own hand, the teeth marks would be a scar that would last forever, only he saw it as another battle wound. R.S. whistled for Thii to come, the horse trotted out saddle and all. R.S. grabbed his gun belts from the horn and strapped them on.

"Let's get the diyi Thii"

"It's a good thing your man here, came and got me Slim. Jess will be fine, with care and a few days of rest he will be back on his feet." The doctor smiled and gave Slim some medicine. "Ohh, Slim! Did Jess touch something hot yesterday?"

"Not that I know of Doc, why?"

"He just got a bad burn on his hand, but those pills should help him get through the pain."

"Thanks doc!" Slim walked the doctor out.

The whole house bustled in the morning. Mary was making coffee on the stove, while Mrs. Penny was making breakfast. Daisy stood by Roy, wrapping his chest and giving him tips on how to change the bandages. Slim walked out of his room in a suit. His face showed how tired he was with a hint of worry. R.S. saw Slim, he panicked inside

"Hey R.S.! You gonna play your guitar?"

"I was thinking about it. Why you have a song in mind?"

"No, I was hoping you could play a song that was fun and happy!"

"I might know a few."

"Gosh, it would be cool if you could play one!"

"Hold on let me tune this right! You ready?"

"Yes sir!"

"Old Dan Tucker was a mighty man, he washed his face in a fryin' pan, combed his head wid a wagon wheel, An' died with a toothache in his heel.
So get out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. You're too late to git your supper.
Dan Tucker is a nice old man, he used to ride our darby ram; he sent him whizzin down de hill, if hed hadn't got up, he'd lay dar still.
So get out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. You're too late to git your supper.
I went to town to buy some goods, I lost myself in a piece of woods; De night was dark. I had to suffer, I froze to de heel of Daniel Tucker.
So get out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. You're too late to git your supper.
And Ole Dan is a gone sucker; And nebber can go home to supper; Old Dan, he has had his last ride, and de banjo's buried by his side.
So get out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. Git out de way Old Dan Tucker. You're too late to git your supper."

"Did you make that song?"

"I wish Mike, you like it?"

"Oh yes, R.S. I loved it. Wait til Slim and Jess hear you..."

"I don't think we should bother Slim and especially Jess."

"Would you mind singing another one?"

"Maybe later Mike. I gotta look for that cougar."

"Could I come?"

"This is very dangerous Mike." He saw the disappointment in the kid's eyes. "When I come back, I could probably talk Thii into giving you a ride!"

"You'd let me ride your horse?!"

"It's up to him, you can ask him when I get back."

"Yeah R.S. I want to do that, thanks!" Mike ran inside to tell Daisy. R.S. smiled and walked to Thii.

"You here that Thii?" The horse stomped his hoof on the ground and snorted. "Shil nzhoo, Thii."

"What did you say to him?"

R.S. looked up at Mary. "Why are you here Mary?"

"I thought you'd be glad to see me after all these years."

"I am, but you came at a bad time."

"Is that your excuse?" Mary looked toward the stage, "I am leaving soon and you tell me that this is a bad time to see and old friend."

"Mary...I'm just busy. I wasn't expecting you..."

"Yeah I see, work before friends and family. You turned out like your father, Jay. I came to Laramie because I am meeting Jacob here. We have a new home together and he is taking me to our ranch. I prayed that when we'd meet again you'd run and hold me in your arms, not like this. Maybe you have changed living with those Apache for those years." She turned and walked inside before he could respond.

"I...She's just a girl and doesn't understand how difficult life becomes. Isdzan!

"Isdzan?"

"Oh, Slim. I was going to go after the cougar."

"Are you sure it was a cougar?"

"Pretty sure. Why?"

"Just wondering. I need you to drive the stage into town."

"Sure I can do that."

"What does Isdzan mean?"

"It means 'women'. Just having issues with Mary Cooper, nothing major."

"I get it, I don't understand women either."

"I am going to hitch the horses up to the stage and tie Thii on the back."

"Ok, we should leave in the next few minutes."

"Got it Slim!"

The stage rolled out around nine. R.S. sat in the front guiding the horses around debris and mud holes with Thii trailing behind. Slim, Roy and the women sat inside each, thinking different things. The stage rolled into town an hour later, many people rushed up when they saw a new driver and not Roy. Mary and Roy exited the stage first followed by Slim and Mrs. Penny.
"I'll get a new driver so you can get to your destination." Roy's rough, old voice boomed toward Slimand Mrs. Penny. R.S. climbed down and walked behind the stage to Thii. He looked up and his eyes narrowed, his hand slipped to his right gun and he made sure it was loose and ready to be drawn. He brought to Thii to the hitch post and waited.

The young man straightened his tie in the window of the general store. He adjusted his hat to the perfect angle and buttoned his suit. His eyes widened when the stage pulled up. "This is it!" He thought to himself. Walking toward the stage, he noticed men gathering behind him.

"Hey boy!"

He did his best to ignore them, but when one of the men grabbed him and spun him around he knew trouble would soon follow.

"Didn't you hear me boy. I told you, you ain't going on that stage till you pay."

"Mister, I played that hand straight, I'm sorry you lost, but that's poker."

"You cheated me out of the hand. I want my two hundred dollars back now or I'll beat your hide you ni..."

"He said it was fair."

The young man looked behind him and saw another man that looked the same age as him, except he was white.

"Stranger, butt out. This ain't your problem, this is between me and this nig..." replied the instigator.

"I won't say that word if I was you mister."

"Really!" The cowhand pushed the young man he held away. "You a Marshall, sheriff, deputy?"
"No."

"Then what gives you the right to tell me what to say or do?"

"First amendment, heard about it?"

"Don't pull no lawyer crap on me."

"I'm not, but if I were you...I'd walk away breathing now before you regret everything." By now a crowd had gathered including Slim and Mary.

"Do...Do you know who I am?"

"No, but if you are someone that can't get over losing to a man that has a different skin color and losing pride...then ya I know you. I see your kind plastered all over the west, so you lost your pride for a night, suck it up. You just proving to your friends that you got power, but really you got nothing, you ain't nothing. That man over there," R.S. pointed to the young, black man. "That man over there will be more of a man then you'll ever be."

"You…you'd better draw mister."

"You hide behind a gun, only women hide behind guns. I settle my issues with fists, like men do."

"You callin me a woman?" The man's voice went high and he grabbed his gun.

People who were watching scattered to safety. R.S. knew the man would draw, but hoped he wouldn't. The man's gun fired. While R.S. grabbed his gun he stepped to his right, just missing the bullet, he walked forward toward the man aiming his gun. It was like time slowed for R.S., he could see the man firing at him and he saw the bullet miss him as he moved out of the way. Then he heard the click of an empty gun, and R.S. bolted toward the man. He held the gun just under the man's chin, "Don't draw a gun unless you mean to kill somebody with it, a gun is not a toy" He pushed the cowhand down. "Next time you'd better kill me, cause if I see you again I will bust your head in." The remaining spectators watched as R.S. holstered his gun and walked to the young, black man.
"Thank you sir!"

"Let's get you to the stage!" He said smiling and chuckling some.

"STAGE READY!" The stage driver yelled to the crowd. Slim walked over to R.S.

"Thanks R.S. and please watch out for Jess!" He climbed in and helped Mrs. Penny in, who mouthed rattlesnake.

"Mister R.S. thanks for helping me."

"Hey," R.S. grabbed the young man's shoulder, "Call me James." Both men nodded. R.S. watched, from Thii, as the stage rolled out of town.

********

Approaching the now swollen river R.S. heard a rough voice growl, "You're late!"

"I'm sorry I was held up in town." He swung off Thii and walked over to the man.

"What did you find out?" The voice questioned.

"What do you want to know Raymond?" Came the reply.

"James is the only one who knew where it was!"

"No I wasn't!"

"Was to!"

"Boys, boys please!"

"Mr. Guard did you take Logan's fifty-cent piece."

"No, Miz Flower I didn't."

"Can I check you things?"

"Yes ma'am."

The young woman looked in the first graders lunch pail.

"Could you explain this Mr. Guard?" She held out the coin.

"I didn't steal it, I bet one of his friends is framing me."

"Now why would they do that, Mr. Guard?"

"Cause they hate me."

"Logan, here is your money you can leave now."

"Thank you ma'am!" He snickered at James and then walked out.

The teacher sighed and sat behind her desk.

"I am tired of your lies James."

"Ma'am I ain't lying."

" Haven't you read Tom Sawyer?"

"You know I have."

"Don't be smart with me young man."

"Yes ma'am, I bought the book.

"Then you know lying is not to be tolerated." She reached inside her desk for a ruler. "Come here James."

"No ma'am."

"What did you say?"

"I know what you're gonna do."

"Get over here, NOW!"

"Sorry ma'am, but hitting ain't for people only for stubborn mules that won't pull none."

"Mr. Guard, get over here now." She advanced toward him.

"You take a step closer Miz Flower and there'll be trouble."

"Is that a threat? Do I have to get the sheriff?"

"Do what you like, but you ain't hitting me."

She advanced toward him some more with the ruler above her head. He fell to the ground before she had time to react. He rolled behind a desk and ran toward a window. Miz Flower got in front of him and started cursing at him.

"You need to respect people older than you and do what they tell you." She hit him with the ruler on his face. He pushed her to the floor and ran toward the door. As he passed his desk he grabbed his reading books, with one last glance he saw the teacher standing with blood coming from her nose. James pushed passed the children out in the yard playing and ran. He ran past the stores till he got to the edge of town. He knew that people would be looking for him, so he turned off the main trail. James ran into the woods toward the mountain. He wished he had a horse, for his legs grew tied; but he never stopped running till he knew he was farther enough away. He crossed a stream that went up to his chin, he held his books high above his head, hoping they would not get wet. Then he gave a sigh of relief, he had come to his hide away. It was a climb to the slab of rock, but James was determined to make it. He was the only one who knew about it. The slab of rock gave a good view of the town and surrounding areas. The slab of rock was also an entrance into a cave, James found it when he was exploring the mountain's base. James dropped into the cool ground in the cave. He crawled to where the underground water flowed and looked at his face. A long mark was streaked across his face, a little bit of blood was trickling from his cheek.

He watched the sunset behind the town and wondered if his father was looking for him. He knew his mother would start to worry in the morning. It wasn't the first time he ran because he would always return. He grabbed his binoculars and put them to his eyes, the towns people were bustling around preparing for the night. He looked into his little cave; books were stacked in piles toward the back, food was in shelves he created last summer in case of emergencies. There was fresh water farther in the cave and he was protected from the weather and wild animals. He built a fire from the wood he gathered and lay against the stone watching it burn. He grabbed at two books and looked at their titles; Oliver Twist and Uncle Tom's Cabin. After some moment of decision, he opened to the first page of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The fire burned in the cave keeping enough light for the young child to read his book. The young child was in a whole different world, he went to a place, a place in a book where his troubles seemed less and not as bad. He sat in the cave not worrying about the world around him, as the town below searched for the boy who had injured a highly respected woman.

Ch. 7

"Your report from the last town was not your best."

"The sheriff kicked me out when I got a new horse, he was not letting anyone in the town."

"One woman, six men. Did you?"

"What! No, I didn't do it. You should hold your men in better." R.S. spat.

Raymond wiped the dirt off his pants. He looked like any regular cowhand with the brown chaps with black lining inside. His black shirt was the cleanest part about him. He wore a vest that was mainly black with brown on his shoulders. His brown bandanna hung loosely around his neck and his brown hat sat upon his head.

"Kid, I know better than to talk my pa that way, so show me the same respect. Let me see that hand of yours." R.S. lifted his hand and let his boss look at it. "It's not bad, but you should go see a doctor. Now," He said sitting by the edge of bank. "We need to discuss about Harper and Sherman. You know that Sherman is going away, but only for a few days. You will have to work fast, Harper has to be gone before we get back."

"Harper is still busted up from your last visit. He is not a threat to you or anyone around him."

"Listen Rattlesnake, I had men stake out this place for months. When Harper gets hurt he doesn't like staying in bed very long. Sherman cares about his friend more than I can say. You just have to lure Harper out of the house and the boys can take it from there. You really won't be doing any harm to him."

"What will you do to him?"

"Just teach him a lesson about being friends with Sherman."

"You ain't gonna kill are you?"

"Is that remorse in your voice? Are these people growing on you? Snap out of it kid, they are just like the others. Sherman will dump your as...butt as soon as Harper can work. Look, I have always been here for you. Those people in that town, they don't care anything about you. Once they know you're wanted they gonna ship you out. Sherman doesn't care anything about you understand. Forget about them and Mary!"

"How do you know she's here?"

"Jacob told, why do you think she came here? Now stop trying to get out of this, get Harper alone and I will do the rest."

R.S. stood looking at the ground. He knew Raymond was right about the town and Slim, but he had a feeling that it could be different. "You're wrong Ramo. I don't think you're right about everything."In a quick step R.S. soon was standing nose to nose with his boss.

"Get rid of Harper! Don't try to out draw me either I am faster." Ramo swung to the saddle and rode away leaving R.S. stunned.

"Thii, we are going back to join with Geronimo after this. It was a mistake to try to live in a white man's world." He swung on top of Thii and turned his horse toward the station.

Jess stared at the ceiling thinking back to the last thing he saw before passing out. He remembered going in and out of consciousness, at one point he saw Slim's concerned face and Daisy's at another. But what struck him the most was the look on R.S.'s face, it was shock and sadness. Jess thought harder and he remembered the young man talking to him. Only a few words rang in Jess's mind. Jess dismissed the thought when he heard the door open. He swung his legs off the bed and grabbed his pants.

"Slim?" There was no answer and the footsteps stopped. The house was silent, Jess grabbed his gun and slowly advanced toward the door. Jess stepped out quickly, the gun jamming into the chest of R.S. Both men stood where they were never moving.

"Could you move your gun please?"

"Where have you been?" Jess asked putting his gun in the waistband of his pants.

"Saw wolf tracks along the north line, went to go check it out."

"Wolves? Let's go get them before they start getting to the herd."

"Jess, you are hurt let it go I got it."

"Look I ain't someone who stays in bed and follows the doc's order. Now let's go!" Jess grabbed his hat and walked out the door. R.S. stood looking at his boots, the sound of a horse galloping away. He grabbed his guns, making sure each was loaded.

"Jess wait!" He ran toward the barn for his horse.

"H...hey Cowboy is that him?"

"Yeah Jumpy that's him!"

"Wh...where's Rattles...snake?"

"Who cares, let's get Harper." The pair rode a little ways ahead and waited for the rider. Jess pulled up when he saw the riders. He recognized their voices immediately.

"Nice to see y…you again H...Harper!"

"How about you come with us peacefully!" Cowboy said taking his gun out of his holster. "Now drop the gun nice and easy."

Jess grabbed his own gun and tried firing it at the men. It clicked repeatedly while the men laughed.

"You never seem to learn kid!" They led Jess away on his horse. R.S. watched from the hill behind a bush, anger filling up inside him.

Carrie stood at her window watching the town wake up. She grabbed her necklace and smiled. The diamond necklace sparkled in the rising sun's light. A knock at the door startled her, but Carrie smiled when she opened it.

"Hey, what are you doing here? I heard you left with the hands last night." She grabbed behind his neck and their lips touched.

"I need you to do something for me baby." He replied after this kiss.

"Anything honey, what is it?"

"The law is after me over a stupid issue. Could you give me some money?"

"Honey, I don't have any money to loan." She tried kissing him again, but he shoved her away.

"Give your necklace, I can trade it and get you another one later."

"I can't honey. A friend gave it to me!"

"Are you talking about that half breed that hangs around here all the time?"

"He's a nice guy and he treats me like I am a woman not a dancer."

"Look." He grabbed her arms, "I need money bad and I got the law breathing down my neck. Give me the necklace."

"He saved his money for this, I'm sorry, but I can't." She turned and started to walk away from him. His anger boiled over and he drew his gun. It accidentally went off and he watched his fiancé fall to the ground.

"Carrie? Carrie are you alright?" He jumped when he heard a knock on the door and a loud voice call for her. Panicking he climbed out to the balcony and slid down a pole. He grabbed a horse and rode away never looking back. He never heard gunshots or heard the posse so he slowed down. "Jacob what did you do?!" He said to himself.

Ch. 8

R.S. walked into the saloon. His eyes scanned the bar and found man for whom he had been searching. He walked over, anger showing in his eyes, and stopped beside the man sitting at the table.

"Get up you yellow-belly snake!"

"Oh, so I'm the snake now!" The man's face connected with the hard punch of R.S's fist.

"Where is he?" R.S. smashed his face again.

"How about we take this outside kid."

The man walked clumsily with his coat toward the door. The rest of the men in the bar followed R.S. outside. The fight lasted no more than two minutes. R.S. stood over the man, his fists with blood dripping from them. Mort pushed through the crowed and walked toward the two men. R.S. swung around and pushed his gun in Mort's face.

"Stand still and drop the gun Sheriff!" R.S. stood straight and stared the sheriff down.

"Who are you kid?" Mort slowly stuck his hands in his belt and waited to see what the young man would do next. R.S. cocked the hammer back to show he meant business. Mort pressed his lips together and unwillingly complied with the demands set before him.

"Sheriff, I don't want any more trouble. I got enough with the law already. Please don't call me kid again."

"JAMES!"

R.S. closed his eyes, sighed, and slowly turned his head keeping his gun pointed at Mort.
"James, what did you do to my brother?"

"Mary, it's time you here the truth." He grabbed the fallen gun belt of the sheriff and holstered his own. "I'll start from the beginning and your brother can fill in the blank spots."

"The Apaches brought me up well. They taught me to hunt, track, ride better, and fight. Young bucks would come into the village creating a stir when white men were coming. They made fun of me for not going on raids with 'em. I think the newspaper called me the Night Solider. I was the one who went to look for survivors and brought them to the closest fort. Found an eight year old girl, she hid in the brush while the renegades attacked. She was scared at first, but she warmed up to me real quick. We rode two days to the fort, I never harmed her. She stayed with me those two days cause she wasn't afraid and trusted me."

"Then the soldiers forced the Apaches to go to reservations. I said good-bye to my tribe and followed my white ancestors. The west had changed after the War Between the States. Men were harder and not as trustworthy. One day when I was hunting I heard scuffling ahead, thinking it was a rabbit I crept forward. Two men were fighting with a knife over a bag sitting a few feet away. I crept over to the bag and looked inside while making sure the men did not see me. They were fighting over gold, yellow dust that could make a man crazy. I hated to see men fight over a crazy thing so I took it. I had no use for gold, but I took enough that I could buy myself food and clothing. I don't know what happened to those men, or which man won the battle, but I learned a lesson about envy and selfishness that day.
"I'm pretty sure Mary that you and this crowd are wondering how it came to me beating this man, if you can call him that, to a pulp. About two years ago I rode into a town much like Laramie. I walked into the saloon trying to find a man who owned a ranch, I accidentally broke his fence and wanted to replace it. Well I found Carrie Duncan, we talked and found out we had some things in common. She told me I was the first man to see her as she truly was and not just a dance hall gal. I spent a few months in the town working at her cousin's ranch and talking to her when she needed it."

"One day she told me she met this man, he was loving and could take care of her. He proposed to her and they were getting married. I had been saving my money up trying to get a new saddle for Thii, my horse. Instead I bought her a wedding gift, a blue diamond necklace. I can't say what happened the next morning, but I can give a good guess. I was woken up by the sheriff late the night before. Carrie's cousin was stabbed to death and the sheriff needed a posse. We rode all night and when we returned to the town I walked over to the saloon to tell and comfort Carrie. I know how it is to lose someone you love with your heart." He looked down a minute and paused. "I was walking up and heard a gunshot go off. Quickly I got to the door and knocked, the sound of someone opening a window and closing it secured my decision to go in the room. Poor Carrie laid in her own pool of blood, dying. The sheriff and townspeople jumped to conclusions to quickly, I was still a newcomer and had motive. Nobody believed me, I had only myself and the quick glance of the killer in my head. When the Raymond gang hit the town, I rode with them and that's how it's been ever since. So now you know it, I am James Jay Guard a.k.a. Rattlesnake a.k.a R.S I am wanted in two states for murder I never committed and I ride with an outlaw gang. And this man, here, killed that lovely woman Carrie Duncan."

Like the sheriff and the rest of the town Mary just stared. Jacob was stunned and was filling with anger. He saw R.S. not looking and grabbed toward his own gun. Jacob Cooper never saw it coming; he had his gun out and everything was his way, but he had forgotten how fast the young man was. A bullet slammed into the chest of the murderer and another in his shoulder. Women screamed and men jumped away from the scene which was playing out faster for anyone person to get a grip on it. R.S. looked at the dying man, knelt beside his dying body, and whispered him once again,

"Where is he?"

Jacob looked at the young man and saw the anger and guilt of what he had just done. "South West, they got bad things planned for him. I...I'm sorry James, we were good friends once. But you chose the Apaches over your friends and I can't forgive you for that."

"And you ran and left me to hang, I can't forgive you for that either." With that R.S. turned and walked to his horse. He chucked Mort's gun somewhere in an alley.

"James, where are you going?"

"Mary I have to set things right." He leaned closer to her and whispered something in her ear while putting a letter in her coin purse. She pushed away from him and ran toward the hotel crying. Hanging his head for a brief moment, R.S. climbed into the saddle and looked at the sheriff.

"Mort, I can't promise anything about Jess. For your safety and mine, leave it to me."

"Kid, hey kid what are you talkin about?" Mort yelled at the man riding away. He turned to the crowd and pointed at the dying man, "Let's get this man to the doctors!"

Jess sat with his hands tied to a tree. His palm and wrist burned from the pain and tightness from the ropes. He stopped struggling when he heard footsteps and talking.

"Hear what happen to Cooper?"

"R.S. snapped is what I heard. Think he might just be stupid enough to come here?"

"He don't know where we are camped. Ramo kept him in the dark about our location so the kid wouldn't be involved if we were caught. I think he is soft on him."

"I can tell you right now, he ain't."

"Why?"

"Cause he told me Sherman was gonna get him 'cause of Harper, then we get Sherman!"

"I just want to get out of here. Laramie is such a lazy town and I want action. You know why Raymond hates Sherman?"

"I think it's 'cause his daddy and Sherman's daddy had a fight and Ramo's dad died in the fight. It's a revenge thing."

"I never knew my pa." One of the outlaws inserted.

"Sad. Should we give Harper his food?"

"I don't wanna, but if we don't Ramo is gonna shoot us."

"Let's get it over then." The two men walked over to their prisoner. One man reached down and cut Jess's hand free while the other held his food. Jess sprang at the men and knocked them both down. He started running into the forest, but stopped when his face connected with a rifle butt. Cowboy pulled Jess back up and dragged him over to the tree.

"You're lucky I was walking back. Git out of here and be thankful I am not telling Ramo."

The two ran back toward their camp, afraid to look back.

"Harper you still won't learn. Just accept your fate."

"S…Slim will find me." He replied spitting blood from his mouth.

"Slim isn't coming back, Daisy and Mike neither."

"What did you do to them?"

"Well." He said tying Jess back to the tree, "Me personally... nothing, but Jumpy and Idaho…I can't say what they did or are doing."

"You..."

"No time for name calling. You will need rest Harper and stop worrying about your family, that's the past. You better get ready for the future, which will separate the men from the boys!" He laughed and walked into the darkness leaving Jess to think about his family members; Slim, Daisy and Mike.

Ha-nam-a yo- o ya hai huh-wurt...
(Far on the desert ridges stands the cactus)
Ka-na-hu-va-muh-muhk
(lo the blossoms swaying)
Ka-cho-wuch-chi ka-no-ya ki-moi
(to and fro the blossoms swaying, swaying)
R.S. looked down at the camp after singing his death song. He mashed the berries up and added water to the bowl. Taking his ring and middle finger he dipped them in. He drew designs on Thii's face and shoulders. He didn't know how many men were down in the camp, but he knew Harper was done there. His face shown for a second in the moonlight. The red paint stripes down his face changed him from being a white man to an Apache again. He wasn't James Guard, he was Rattlesnake son of Firewind brother to Grey Fox, his horse Thii was father to Titsog. Rattlesnake waited till dawn to attack the unexpected camp.

Ch. 9

"Full house! Looks like my win again!" The big man grabbed the pot and slid it toward him.
"You guys are teamin up on me." The young man threw his cards on the make shift table. He stood up and walked to the back of the cave mumbling.

"I don't know why Ramo let him in, he's just a yella fella!" He chuckled.

"You're a rhymin fool T..." The man stopped when he heard a yell from the mouth of the cave. He slowly drew his pistol and stood up, his comrade mirroring him.

"You know...I think Bill might have shot himself in the foot again."

"We would've heard a shot, now quit talkin T..." The man fell to the ground before he finished his sentence. He lay gulping for air, choking on his blood. He glanced over at his friend who was staring at him. His brown eyes solid and dead, an arrow shot into his head instantly killing him. He turned to his assailant and reached for him, "Please...I...I don't want to…" His arm fell and his heart stopped, a singletear rolled down his cheek, silent when it hit the ground. The assassin crouched next to the dead, then slowly crept into the cave.

"I can't just go back, how can I face her?"

"Dear, she's your mother. She will forgive you, trust me!" Daisy touched the young man's leg through the bars. Mike sat next to her chewing on a piece of bread and nodding in agreement.

"Ma'am you don't understand, I said things you never say to your mother." He placed his head in his hands and sniffled.

"What ya say?"

The young man stood quickly sliding his hand to his gun.

"I dare you to try it kid." The voice was cold and there was a hint of begging in it.

"You the man they are all talking about? You the one who got Jacob?"

"Maybe I am. Want to find out?"

"No, I'm glad somebody finally got him!"

"You're a little young to be in a gang, ain't ya?"

"Just fourteen, are you gonna shoot me?"

"Maybe, it depends on one thing."

"And what would that be?"

"If you can answer my question. Where's Harper?"

"It is you!" The young man stumbled back against the stone and fell against the bars. "Look I got a mother that needs me real bad."

"If she needs you that bad why are you here?"

"I don't like talking to shadows, how about you coming into the light?"

"Get used to a kid!"

"R.S.! I knew I recognized your voice!" Daisy grabbed the bars. "Be kind to this boy, he has had problems."

"AND YOU THINK I HAVEN'T" R.S. yelled back to her. He stepped into the light. Daisy let out a gasp and Mike dropped his bread, the young man stared in horror at the R.S.

"HOKE HEY!" He gripped his knife handle and slowly pulled it from its holder.

"My name Jason Gasordth, I come from Kentucky. My pa died in the war and my ma got blind in a horse accident few years back. I heard there was this here doctor in Chicago who could operate on her. She refused, didn't want to spend the money so I yelled at her saying I was the reasons she never wanted to see her only son or is was because she was yella and didn't wanna see pa no more?' You see Mister Apache man, I look just like him and every time ma looked at me she would start crying." He paused, looking at the knife.

"I got so angry I took my horse and rode. I heard the Ramo gang was lookin for more riders, so I joined up. I know the pay ain't honest, but my ma needs it bad. Well I almost had enough to go back and help her, but now I don't and you're gonna kill and I don't understand a word you sayin in Apache." The boy, doing a poor job of hiding it, started crying.

"Wayo Kapi?"

"I can't understand you!"

"Sorry, is this the truth?"

"I wouldn't lie to a man holding my life."

"I had a problem like yours when I was young. It was the last year of the war and I looked a lot like my pa. Her stress exploded on me and she told me that I was a coward and I could never be a man. Even at the age of four I knew what she meant, her anger didn't scare me it just made me mad. I ran to a little cave I found in the mountains, I don't think she expected me to run. I stayed in the cave a week, adventuring out to get food, water or sticks for my fire. I finally went back home and found ma sitting on my bed cryin. The chores had not been done since I was gone, it showed. She didn't realize I was back and I didn't tell her. I went about the house doing all the chores. When the chores were finished I came out of the barn and she stood in the door way, her red puffy eyes wide. I walked up to her and pulled her to my level and said, 'Mama I will be your man till pa comes back.' She always called me her little soldier after that and we had no more issues."He turned around and wiped a tear from his eye.

"You need to go back home Jason. Tell her you will bring your father home, she will ask how and you will say it's a secret." R.S. picked up the money from the poker game his voice cracking, "Take this money and go get her eyes fixed. Let her see you first, but you have to have flowers in your hand. Tell her you will be the man now and your pa lives in you. You be the man he was, but better. Protect her and make man size decisions Jason. She will depend on you, get a good job or start investin' in cattle. Understand?" Both R.S. and Jason looked at each eye to eye crying.

"You think she will forgive me?"

"I know how it is too lose family, no matter how bad it was you still miss them. Your ma has missed you Jason, I bet she cries every night for you to come back. Promise you will go back."

"I will." The young men hugged and both sobbed quietly.

"Dais..." Mike's mouth was covered by Daisy's hand. He looked up at her and saw she too was crying silently. R.S. whispered something into Jason's ear and the young man nodded and whispered back to him.

*******

"Excuse me, Ramo?" Cowboy took his hat off when he stuck his head in Ramo's tent. He saw his leader laying on the cot with his hands on his chest.

"What do you need Cowboy?"

"I...uh got some b...news." Cowboy saw his leader swing his legs of the cot and look at him, his eyes mean and angry.

"I can tell it's not pleasant news, so what is it?"

"Grandma is dead."

"Who killed 'im?"

"Slim Sherman. Grandma got drunk and started tellin of Harper. Witnesses say he pulled a gun on Sherman and was to slow. Sherman is coming back on the stage now."

"Did Tory disclose the whereabouts of Harper?"

"Who is Tory?"

"Sorry I mean Grandma, did he tell where Harper is being kept?"

"No not from what I heard."

"Thank you, anything else or are you just standing there for a reason?"

"R.S. got Jacob." This brought Ramo on his feet and in Cowboy's face.

"What did that coward say?"

"Rattlesnake or Jacob?" Cowboy choked on his last words. Ramo grabbed the outlaw's neck and threw him to the ground.

"Jacob you idiot."

"He said everything. I saw the end of it, R.S. got him for sure."

"Cowboy, this was supposed to be easy. You are failing me. Where is the snake?"

"At the cave, he went for the woman and boy first."

"That means those men are dead and I bet they talked before they died. Twenty-one men to oneApache are bad odds. Where's Idaho?"

"Sleepin."

"Get him up and tell him to come here. And you." He pointed his gun at Cowboy. "Take care of Harper now or I will turn you in myself." The outlaw hardened his face, grunted and left the tent. Ramo sat back down and wiped sweat from his brow. He always feared the young man; he that the young man was never bred to be an outlaw. The young man was faster than he and it scared him. He looked up when Idaho came in the tent.

"Cowboy said you wanted me boss."

"I got a plan to kill R.S. and need your help."

******

The sun was just coming up. Pink rays showed through the clouds, "Rosy fingered dawn, Homer's greatest line in the Odyssey." Thii grunted his approval and nudged his owner. "I am coming brother." He swung up on the saddle.

"You look funny R.S.! I mean you have war paint on and you are wearin cowboy clothes. It doesn't match!"

"I know Mike!"

He turned to Daisy, "Go to the Sheriff and tell him about this." He turned his horse toward the canyons and headed into the sun. Jess was in trouble and R.S. knew that, he knew what was in store when he got to Jess and he knew Raymond must have gotten word of his 'fun' activities. R.S. remembered the face of Raymond when they first met, he just made a camp and Raymond walked up to him. The fear of how fast R.S. pulled his gun and leveled it on him showed all over on his body. He was fifteen then, four years of living alone taught him strangers are good or bad. Raymond slowly put his hands in the air and started talking to R.S.. He didn't holster his gun for he was stitching in the belt, but he kept his gun near him. R.S. looked up when he heard a branch crack. He saw the deputy come out with his gun drawn and saw him fall, Raymond's gun smoking. R.S. rushed over to the fallen man, who had already died. Anger filled inside of him and he turned on Raymond, gun cocked.

"He was not gonna shoot!"

"You don't know that kid. He was huntin' you."

"I know that, it was a game for us. He'd hunt me and I would escape. Why should I join you?"

"That's a stupid game, I could teach better ones if you follow me!"

"You did not answer my question!"

"Look, I can get you money and you can get me a reputation. It's a win for both of us."

"I need to bring him into town."

"Hey you do that you are gonna hang. They gonna pin this one on you."

"I will tell them you did it."

"Think they gonna believe a killer? Yeah I know all about you, been tracking you for three days and trust me you are hard to find!"

"You know nothing of me, how about you leave before I kill you?"

"Look kid! You need me! I saved your life you owe me!"

"My name is not kid, and you did not save anything, but your own hide."

"Fine kid!"

"Call me kid one more time and you will be six feet under with holes in you." R.S. turned and grabbed the deputy's body. It was a fairly big deputy, he heaved him on a horse and whistled for Thii. Raymond's eyes followed him as he packed up camp. Thii trotted past Raymond and tried biting him, but missed.

"What's your name?"

"I think you would know that from the posters."

"They call you R.S. or Rattlesnake, why?"

"I am part Apache, I thought you knew everything about me!"

"Only your law issues, one job is all I am asking."

"Then you know I did not kill anyone."

"Sure ki...R.S. please one job!"

"I will be the scout that's it."

"Uh, you take orders from me I will tell you what job to do."

"NO! If you want me then I pick the job."

"Ok, calm down. Sure let's go then!"

"Not till I send his body into town, I will meet you in Nevada."

"Nevada! But we're in Colorado, that's a four day ride!"

"Nevada or I am gone."

"See you in Nevada." Raymond rode off. R.S. wrote a note putting in the deputy's pocket and sent the horse on his way. Then he swung up on Thii and started off toward the state of Nevada. Now R.S. was headed to kill the man that started his outlaw life and made him into what he is.

******

Jess was picked up roughly and stripped off his shirt and boots. He was marched through the woods to the edge of the canyons. The men forced him to lie down on his stomach with his head by the edge of the cliff. They tied his hands to stakes in the ground a few feet away from the edge. Cowboy bent down toward his ear, "You are about to be thrown off the cliff, maybe your restraints will hold maybe not. If you don't fall you are gonna wish you did. Oh don't look for you friend Slim, he will be dead soon."

"I will see you in Hell then!" Jess was gagged and they threw him off. Jess's back hit the rocky edge hard and it knocked the air out of him. He looked down and saw a rocky ledge below him. The rawhide holding his wrists dug into his skin.

"Looks like you will live a little longer Harper!" The laughing men walked away and left Jess hanging there with the sun in his face and small pieces of rock in his back.

Ch. 10

Jess rested his chin on his chest as the sun grew hotter with each passing hour. He looked at the canyon floor, watching the trees blow in the wind. He closed his eyes, but opened them suddenly. The echo of a horse's whinny bounced throughout the canyon. Jess strained his head upward, pulling himself up as much as he could. Again he heard the whinny, but it came closer. Jess's cracked lips hurt when he moved them, but he need to wet them. His arms grew tired holding himself in that position, so Jess quickly gave his best attempt to yell. He could feel the vibrations of the horse coming closer, a sigh of relief fell over him. The happiness felt was short, for the sound of guns followed. The guns went for two minutes with the occasional scream of being hit. Finally it all stopped and a scuffle was heard above, then a body fell over the side of the canyon wall passing Jess and a moan was heard above.

R.S. stopped in the woods a few feet from the clearing to the canyon. He unsaddled Thii and threw his saddle and saddle bags next to a log. He sighed and sat down in front of the log, stretching his legs. R.S. knew that Raymond had heard what had happened the past few days. It had been two days since the shooting in town and a day since the cave incident. His war paint was nearly gone due to the hot sun and sweat running down his face. He grabbed his bags and pulled the gun belts out, running his fingers over the stitch marks.

"You know what's going to happen Thii." The horse snorted and stomped his hoof. "They will have a guard by Jess and we might have to fight are way to him. We go together brother or not at all! Now..." He paused turning toward the horse. "If I fall off you get out of there, I don't need my brother shot up and me walkin' back to town!" He stood and strapped each belt on his hips. Thii snorted and shook his head as if he was disapproving of R.S.'s guns.

"Hesh-shea-gars, I hate them too Thii, but I can't use guns and shoot an arrow at the same time. Let's just get Jess and get back to the ranch alive." He re-saddled Thii and swung up.

They pushed to the edge of the trees and walked toward the canyons cliff. Thii whinnied twice and R.S. heard the low yell of a man; so he pushed Thii forward. The sound exploded in R.S.'s ear and made Thii rear up. R.S. hit the ground hard, but crawled to a nearby rock quicker than a jack rabbit. Thii lay on the ground not moving when R.S. looked over. He saw a man running behind him and shot; the man fell forward and didn't move. R.S. shot it out with the men until he and one man was left. Both men threw their empty guns down and drew their knives. The burly man charged R.S. and tripped over his own feet. R.S. side stepped and stabbed at the man. The man rolled on to his feet and swung his arm upward into R.S.'s side. R.S. gritted his teeth as he felt the blade slide in and out, he turned and grabbed the man pushing him to the edge of the canyon; he thrust his blade in the man's neck and slit his throat. He fell to the ground and pushed the body of the man over the cliff. R.S. lay moaning on the cliff clutching his side. R.S. pushed himself up into a sitting position.

"Jess, hold on." R.S. crawled over to the edge of the cliff and looked down into the eyes of Jess, who was looking up at him. R.S. partially smiled at him and turned toward Thii. He whistled, but Thii just raised his head and gave a high whinny. He whistled again and Thii put his head back down. R.S. pushed himself onto his feet, made it a few yards then fell back on the ground again. The blood was streaming down the side of his leg and his shirt was turning red. He struggled over to Thii and threw open the saddle bags. He grabbed an old, torn shirt and pushed it against his side, tying the shirt with a bandanna.

"Come on Thii, the shootin' has stopped!" R.S. looked over Thii and found why the horse kept lying down. R.S. wiped his face leaving a line of blood across it. "Stay still Thii, I will do this myself." R.S. grabbed the rope, tied it around a tree and then around himself. He stumbled to the edge of the cliff, turned around and jumped. His feet hit the side of the cliff hard and his side shot pain throughout his body. R.S. slowly repelled himself down to Jess.

"Howdy Jess! Havin' fun hangin' around!" R.S. untied the bandanna from Jess's mouth.

"What are you doing here?" Jess snapped at the young man.

"I came here to help, but I don't think I will be able too."

"Yeah, I bet you came to help!" Jess saw the hurt look in the young man's eyes. He noticed the giant, red spot on his side and pants. Jess noticed the young man was really scared, it showed everywhere on his face. "You get shot?"

"What!" R.S. felt embarrassed that Jess saw what he tried to hide.

"How bad is it?"

"I won't be able to pull you up Jess. I brought a canteen to give you a last drink before I leave."

"Thii can't pull me up?"

"No, Thii has been shot three times in the chest. I don't think he could get me back to town. It's a two day ride back Jess."

"Get going then R.S. tell Slim to hurry will ya." R.S. smiled and gave Jess that last drink and slowly started his climb to the cliff edge. By the time R.S. got to the top he was feeling the effect of blood loss. He took a drink and poured water on his face. R.S. looked up to see Thii standing looking at him as if telling him to get their final adventure started.

*****

The rain fell hard as the two walked slowly. It was a day ago R.S. helped Jess and rode toward town to get help. First after riding some, R.S. dug the bullets out of Thii and sealed them back up with a hot log. The young, exhausted man collapsed on the grass followed by Thii's collapsing.

"Ciye!" (My son!)

R.S. looked up and saw his Apache mother looking down on him.

"Shi ma!"(Mother) R.S. outstretched his hand toward her, and cringed when the pain shot through his body. His face fell in the grass again.

"Yadalanh Thii." (Farewell horse). R.S. looked up again and saw nothing, tears rolled down his face.

"Ya ta say Rattlesnake! Hat'ugha dayden?" (Greetings rattlesnake! Why little girl?")

"Indi gontee..."(They say four fingers) R.S. coughed up blood before he could finish his sentence.

"What you doing kid?"

"Dying Pa."

"I raised you better and so did that Apache. Look kid I didn't tell you much about my war days, but I will tell ya now. I fought a Gettysburg and I fought hard, even when lying on the ground with five bullet holes in my body. I lay with the dead and wounded, with cannon balls hitting beside me and men running over me. All I thought of was you and your ma and what would happen if I couldn't make it home."

"Pa..."

"Wait till I finish! All you are thinkin about is yourself. IF you die here, that Harper fella dies along with his buddy. Stop thinkin about yourself and think about who you effecting boy. Now I gotta go before your ma gets a worrying!" R.S. saw his father disappear, he pushed himself up.
"Thii, there is a story I read in a book once. A brave soldier died before he met his son, so the son grew up without a father. One day a colt was born, it was ferocious and brave, and everyone compared it to the boy's father. The boy bought the colt and the two grew up together. The town's people believed the horse was the father, all great warriors die and become great animals. Well I see you as a great warrior. Now let's finish the fight we started!" Thii grunted his approval and stood up as R.S. swung to the saddle. The two headed again to town as the moon broke through the cloud.

Mary walked into her room and sat on the bed. She looked over and saw a dark spot on the ground.

"Who's here?"

"It's me Mary."

"What are you doing here?" She lit the lamp and walked toward him.

"I need you not to go to the Sherman Station tomorrow."

"How do you know I was going?"

"I passed the posse that is huntin'

me!"
"How did you get past them?"

"I am part Apache remember!"

"I...R.S. you don't look well what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just need help gettin Harper!"

"You found him?"

"Yeah! Can you give the sheriff a message?"

"It depends, I still loathe you for what you did to Jacob!"

"I can't blame you. Just give him this note will ya?"

"IF I must! So how did you get in here?" Mary looked where R.S. was standing, but he was gone. The window curtains blew open and a note blew off the table. She opened it and saw a map that showed where to get Jess. Mary grabbed her jacket and walked toward the sheriff's office.

"I was forgotten and lost before I met them. They were nice and didn't judge me from the start. I admired Jess and how he followed his gut, but if only he knew the truth. He judges my father still and he will never know the truth. I was told once of Jess when I was little. Pa told of a brave reb who he fought with, Harper was all he talked about. He wasn't a spy for the union. It happened like this; He heard a screech in the trees and went to check on it. Found the Union General's son lying in his blood. He patched him up and brought him back to camp to find Union troops surrounding the camp. My father was wearin the boy's cap and he got paid by the general for savin his boy's life. If only Jess knew the truth, but he wouldn't listen. I wouldn't blame him if I was him. That family changed me, I was an orphan in the dark and they lit a candle. I saw how my life was taken over, but I am fighting back now. I have a life again and a family, but this time not renegades are gonna take it from me. This is my last entry in writing, but I can say that this is not the last adventure of J.J.G.R.S. & Thii. Never live a planned day like it will last forever, but live a moment like it's your last. I beg you, read the history of the past and learn from it. Read my story and find the happiness I never could.

Ch.11

R.S. felt the sweat making its way down his back. He sat in a chair facing the window looking at the sun rising. Drawing his knees closer to his chest, R.S. thought of his plan when Raymond would show up. He also knew that he had a fever and was hallucinating, for he kept seeing all the people that had died trying to help him. He made it to the relay station late in the night and put Thii in a stall. As he was walking back to the house he saw the little girl in front of him. She stood smiling at him, then she ran back to the barn and giggled. He started walking faster to the house and she ran in front of him again, but this time she was crying and blood was flowing from her neck. He stopped and stared at her, watching as she slowly walked into nothing. When he made it into the house he went to start a fire, but saw a severed limb in the wood which changed his mind. Now R.S. sat in the dark, praying in both Apache and English. He picked up a pencil and took two pieces of paper out. His hands shook as he wrote the letters on the paper, but he was determined and didn't stop till he was finished.

The stage rolled in just around seven in the morning. Slim jumped out and ran to the stables,
"Charlie get me a horse and fast!"

"You got it Slim!" The old man replied. Word had gotten around that something had happened to Jess and that new hand could be involved. As the old man was saddling up a horse, Mary walked in with her horse.

"I am coming with you Mr. Sherman."

Slim looked up and stared at her, "I can't have a woman slowing me down."

"I will not slow you down Mr. Sherman. You might need help and I am pretty good with a gun."

"I will get the sheriff."

"I am afraid you cannot. I gave them a message from James or rather a map to Jess's whereabouts."

"They are going after Jess!?"

"I am pretty sure I just said that. Your friend Mrs. Cooper and Mike are at the hotel, they wish to speak to you."

Slim stood thinking about what she said about Jess. He needed Daisy and Mike to get supplies for Jess and medicine. "You said R.S. gave you the note?" Before she could answer Charlie spoke up.

"Tell me what you need Slim, I will get everything you need. You should get to the ranch and prepare for Jess."

"Thanks Charlie!" Slim wrote down everything he needed and then swung up on the horse, "Let's go Mize

Cooper!" The pair rode off toward the relay station.

It wasn't long before Slim pulled the horse down to a trot, Mary doing the same.

"Why are you coming with me?" Slim asked.

"I believe James is at the house. I think he was hurt when he visited me last night. I found a bowl of red water and a bloody needle in my room."

"You like him?"

"I don't know Mr. Sherman. I did when we were little, but he seems changed. I see the little boy I once knew, but at the same time a stranger."

"How did you meet him?"

"We came from different sides of the track, you could say. I had a rich daddy, who owned the whole country. James' pa was poor and worked on the land, squattin on our land. Daddy took a liking to James from the start and let the family stay. James had a way with horses that nobody understood. We had wild stallion in our corral, it had the darkest hair I have ever seen, even to this day. I was told to stay away, but a child's curiosity...well you understand. I got to close and the stallion started rearing and bucking, I was on the ground in a corner before I knew what was happening. The men my daddy owned were too far away to help, but ran toward the corral anyways. I closed my eyes as I saw a hoof come my way, but I never felt it. Slowly I opened my eyes and saw James standing there. He was no more than five at the time, but he stared down this horse and talked to it till it calmed down.
'That ain't no way to treat a woman, horse! Back off! If you're so tough take me on!' I still remember those words. My pa and the hands finally got to me, checking me over and that stuff. I heard them whisperin about what they saw. It seems when the hoof was coming toward me, James grabbed it and pushed it away. My daddy took me inside, but I got one last look at James before I went inside. He smiled and winked at me as he patted the stallion. I guess we have been friends ever since."

"Well ain't that a nice little story! Hey Boss seems we got ourselves R.S.'s girlfriend!" Cowboy stepped from behind a tree and motioned for the two to get off the horses with his gun.

Slim hit the ground again, sucking in the air in big gasps. Raymond stood above him panting, but smiling.

"I expected more from you Sherman, a stronger fight. This is pathetic!" He and other cowboys laughed. "I bet you heard how Jess died. Don't worry you will soon meet him again!" Slim lay in the middle of a circle of twelve cowboys surrounding him. Mary sat on the ground, untied with a cowboy holding a gun on her. He started to get up again, but his process stopped when he was kicked in the stomach. Idaho sat on the ground with seven other men smoking and talking with them. Jumpy stood in the circle laughing at Slim and Cowboy stood looking at the Sherman relay station in front of him.

"Cowboy come join the fun!"

"Boss I have feelin we ain't alone here!" He replied without turning.

"Nonsense we checked it beforehand remember!" He laughed again when he punched Slim in the ear. A shot rang out and all the men grabbed their guns.

"Who fired that shot?" Raymond yelled at his men.

R.S. saw the men riding down the hill. He ran to the barn and grabbed Thii, walking him to the woods. The riders searched everywhere in the house, but found no one.

"Stay here Thii." He grabbed his guns and ran to the barn. He watched as they brought Slim and Mary to the house. R.S. stood and fired the shot at the cowboy by Mary, who stood awhile then collapsed. R.S. walked out of the barn with his belts strapped tight and rifle in hand.

"I fired it you coward!" He watched as the circle disbanded and the men walked behind Raymond.

"Kid, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, were you not expecting me? Thought your plan worked? Guess again!" R.S. cocked the rifle.

"Then you found Harper?"

"I did more than that. I drew up a map and let the sheriff go get him! And your little friends in the cave, they died too!"

Raymond glared at him. "Well I not make the same mistake again! JUMPY!" The little jumpy cowboy grabbed his gun, but it never cleared the holster. He fell to the ground dead, but he wasn't alone. The guns erupted from everywhere. Slim grabbed Mary and they ran to a safe spot, Slim picking a gun up as he ran. R.S. stood still firing the rifle at everyone, when that was done he ran to the trough and started to fire with his pistols. Some cowboys got behind him and started firing from their position. R.S. felt a bullet graze his back, so he stood and pulled the trigger, but it clicked empty. The cowboys grinned and slowly drew the hammers back. Thii burst from the woods and ran in front of R.S. when the cowboys pulled the triggers. R.S. knew Thii died before he hit the ground. Out of blind fury he ran to where Thii fell and grabbed his other gun, killing all the men. He turned to see men fleeing on their horses. Slim shooting them as they rode past him. R.S. checked his gun and found two bullets left. He saw Raymond out of the corner of his eye, shooting his gun at him. Bullets slammed into R.S.'s chest as he fired back at Raymond. The outlaw stiffened and fell forward, dead.

"Idaho let's go!" Cowboy turned and ran to his horse as Idaho followed. The two outlaws rode quickly away from the deadly shootout.

Mary and Slim got up from their safe place and ran to R.S.. He lay with his head on Thii's back smiling.

"I...I got him! You alright Sherman?"

"Yeah R...James. Thanks for doing that." Slim looked away as a tear sprang into his eye. James looked at Mary,

"You got an answer to that question?"

"I love you James, but these past few days have changed my look on life...and you." She grabbed his shirt and ripped it apart. "Hold still while I bandage this up."

"I love you too Mary, but I want you to do what your heart tells you. Love can make you blind, I would hate for you to be blind!" He laughed a little, then groaned from the pain. "There is a letter for you inside Mary, please read it!"

"I will James, I promise. And the answer to your question is no."

"I understand Mary, I am not angry." He leaned his head back on Thii's body and looked up at the passing clouds, he smiled when he heard the buck board bringing Jess down the hill. The clouds passed slowly and the sun rays brightened them up as they past. Everything had changed, for him and he loved it. A new life began for him, Mary and Slim, James laughed at the thought of it, but continued to stare at the slowly passing clouds.

Slim sat on the porch recalling the day before. Mort and some deputies rode down with Jess. Slim remembered looking at Jess and how dirty he looked.

"Hey pard, how you feelin?"

Jess nodded his head and smiled, "The kid saved me Slim, how is he?"

"Mary's got him. We had a shootout pard, you should have seen it!"

"I just want to sleep pard, no offense, but I am mighty tired." Mort and the deputies brought him inside, but Mort came out to see the damage outside. Daisy and Mike came in a carriage with the doc, all three of them went inside. Mort looked at Mary who was washing the blood of James' chest.
"Had a little fun I see!" Mort laughed a little with Slim who stood beside him.

"Yeah Mort, loads of fun!" Slim replied sarcastically.

Jess was expected to make a full recovery. The doctor bandaged his hand and arm again and left aloe to put on Jess' sunburned skin. He just needed to stay in bed a few days. Mort, the deputies and the doc rode back to town leaving the six of them at the ranch house. Jess slept off and on, Daisy and Mike cleaned the house while Mary tended to James and Slim watched over Jess. Now Slim sat on the porch the next day and thought about James' letter, for it lay in his lap unopened. His thoughts were interrupted when three riders came to the house.

"Howdy Slim how is Jess?

"Fine Mort, who you got with you?"

"I am U.S. Marshal Tennessee Williams and this is..."

"I am Gray Fox brother to Rattlesnake, we heard he was here."

"Yeah he is in the back." Slim showed them. Williams stood next to James and read the letter,
"By order of the state of North Dakota and other places I hereby relieve you of any charge that has been placed on your shoulders. We have the murderer Jacob Cooper in custody for killin' Miss Carrie. The Apache reservation has sent your Chickasaw or brother to come take you back home and give you a ceremony. Here is a letter from the governor...uhh saying sorry!"

"Rattlesnake it's me Lupan." The young Apache warrior bent down and grabbed the hand of his friend. "Ka Dish Day chickasaw!" (Farewell Brother). The young man whistled and waited. He whistled again and looked around.

"What is it Gray Fox?"

"I am looking for Horse."

"Horse?"

"Yes Horse. He should be here."

"You mean Thii?"

"Yes, Thii means Horse. I am looking for Horse."

Mary stood up and grabbed the arm of Gray Fox and pointed. He walked over to the dead animal and fell to his knees.

"Ka Dish Day Thii!" He turned to Mary and grabbed her hands, "Thank you, he talked of you all the time." He went and picked the body of James up, holding it carefully he brought it to his horse. After securing it he took his knife out and cut the heart of Thii out. Tennessee turned to Slim,

"I am sorry I could not tell him personally and I am sorry this happened. Would you like the reward money on the Raymond gang?"

"I will take half for me and Miz Cooper, give the rest to the Apaches."

"I will try Mr. Sherman." He turned and walked back to his horse. The two riders turned and headed south, leaving a trail of dust as they left.

"Well Slim I gotta go too. A big herd is coming and I got to prepare the town." Mort turned and waved as he rode away.

"I will be catching the stage to the train, thank you for your hospitality Mr. Sherman." Mary turned and walked away before Slim could reply. Slim sat down again and looked at the letter addressed to him.

"Dear Mister Sherman,"

Slim shut it the letter to regain composure before he read started reading it again.

"Dear Mister Sherman,
I guess I am dead if you are reading this. Sorry for everything, I have no excuse for what I did to you good people. If the U.S. Marshal has not come yet then could you give some things out before he takes my stuff. Give Mike my guitar, will ya. In my saddle bags I got a confederate flag my pa owned. Give it to Jess, it should still have his name on it where pa and he stitched it in. For Daisy I have some spices and coffee! (She might need it for cookin!) And you can have my rifle and saddle, Thii has no use for it anymore, he is dead like me. Really had a fun time gettin to know you folks,
See you again soon!
James Jay Rattlesnake Guard
Slim walked into the house nodding and saying 'yes' to himself.

James rode Thii through the grass, staring at the clouds above him. He heard another horse and looked in front of him.
"Hey boy, your mother's got pie cooking lets' go!"

"Yes sir." James urged Thii forward and was face to face with his father. They hugged for a while then rode off.

"Silaada!" The old Indian ran toward the young man.

"This old Apache and I have been talkin a storm about you James. What he just call you?"

"Soldier." James turned to see his mother walk from the house.

"James the pie is almost ready!"

"Ma?"

"Yes son I am real!"
"Ma I love you." They both ran and hugged each other crying. Thii stood in the distance beside his son. He nibbled on the colt's ear and whinnied at him. R.S. looked over, still hugging his mother, and saw not a horse but an Apache soldier waving with his son on his shoulders.

" We're all home now!" He whispered to himself.

******

Jason rode up to his ranch and hooked horses up to the buckboard. His mother came out of the house. "Who's there?"

"Let me help you in the buckboard Ma."

"Jason! Oh you are back."

"Yeah Ma now get in."

"Where we going?"

"It's a surprise ma."

They got to the train station and took a ride to see the doctor. Jason waited while his mother had the eye surgery.

"Jason get in here now!" The young man slowly got up as he heard his mother call for him.

"Let me look at you! You look just like your pa!" She ran and kissed him on the cheek, he hugged her and whispered "Thanks R.S.!"

Mary sat on the train fumbling with the letter from James. When she ripped it open, tears sprang from her eyes as she read it.
My dearest Mary,
Since they day I saved you I have loved you. I know you will decline my question of marriage, don't feel bad about that. I will still love you and wait for you in the life to come. Please don't let me be a barrier in your life. Go and find love with another man. They will be so lucky to be married to you. I think you should go make up with your father, you will need his help in the years to come. Please let go of me and forget me, no good will come for you grieving. I love you Mary always and forever. Don't do anything foolish cause I will be watching. I am sorry our friendship was put on hold for those years.
Love you girl,
James Jay Guard

Mary put her head against the window.

"Excuse me miss, is this seat saved?"

She turned and saw a young man wearing a military uniform looking at her.
"Uhh, yes sir you may sit here."

"Thank you miss, my name is Andrew O'Reilly."

"Mine is Mary Cooper." They smiled and talked all the way back to the east coast.

The End