Chapter 7 The return of Abe and RJ

They had split up, Mitch and Patch and Buck went South, Ave and RJ went back to Seattle. The plan was to meet in Tacoma after Abe and RJ went back to Seattle to get the $1200 they had left back at the jail house. RJ and Abe reached the outskirts of Seattle, as they were deciding how to enter the town in broad daylight, they saw Joshua and Daniel with Biddie coming into town. They quickly hid and watched.

"We are going to Aaron Stemple's mill, he should be there. We need some more men and I need to report what is happened. The dormitory is over there across from the saloon and the ladies will take Biddie in and help her." Joshua said to Daniel. Daniel nodded and took Biddie over to the dormitory. When he knocked on the door. Candy opened it and immediately allowed him to take Biddie upstairs to her bed.

"Thank you, Mr.…" Candy said

"Sharpton, Daniel!" He said as he raised his hat to her. Then he said:

"I hope she will be okay; may I call on her when she is better?" He asked Candy

"I will let her know. Come back in a couple of days. Thank you Mr. Sharpton!" Candy said to him, and he went out the door. He was going to go have a drink at the saloon, but he heard some loud noises at the Jailhouse around the corner. So, he went to see what was happening.

"Hold it right there Mr. Stemple, we don't want to kill you, but we will if we have to!" Abe said.

"Abe, you asked me for a job, you are good worker, why don't you give yourself up and stay here to work?" Aaron said as he sat in a chair that he had been tied to while RJ was rifling through some of the posters and envelopes. They had found the money, but he thought if they really messed things up and then burn the place down it would be more fun!

"Abe, everything is set, we set fire and leave!" said RJ. Abe looked at him and then turned to Aaron and said:

"Yeah! I am a pretty good worker, but I want more than just a paycheck!" And with that, he lit a match right next to Aaron's chair on a pile of papers. He tipped his hat and followed RJ out the door just as Daniel came in. He ran over and untied Aaron and then they both ran out to get a fire brigade going.

"Thank you…"

"Daniel Sharpton, You are welcome. Mr. …."

"Stemple, Aaron Stemple!" He shook Daniel's hand and was about to say something else when Jason and Jeremy arrived. The fire had been small and had been quickly put out.

"Well, Mr. Sharpton, I owe you a debt. Thank you for rescuing Miss Cloom!" Jason said as he shook his hand.

"Joshua says he found you getting her down from hanging from a tree!"

"Yes, Mr. Bolt, I did. I also helped the boy and his mother, but the other lady there was no hope for, she had died instantly of a broken neck. Jason looked at him and nodded.

"Well, we are going out after the rest of the gang soon. Would…" Jason was about to ask if Daniel would like to come with them when he said:

"Mr. Bolt, I think that we already have two of the gang…" He pointed up the street and Jeremy with Ben and Clancy came up the street with RJ and Abe. They marched them to the jail house which still smelled like smoking would. They were placed in the jail cell.

"Thank you Jeremy. Now, Mr. Sharpton, which way did you say they started to ride?" Jason asked Daniel and he told them. Leaving Aaron in charge of the jailhouse. Jason and his brothers and a few more loggers and mill workers formed a posse and went after the rest of the gang.

Candy sat next to Biddie and watched her. The rope burns on her wrist were visible. She had rubbed some lotion to help heal the burns. Biddie began to stir. She opened her eyes and then shut them again. Candy moved over to her side and sat on the edge of the bed. Biddie moaned some more then opened her eyes again and saw Candy.

"Oh, Candy, I had the most awful but wonderful dream! I dreamt that I was kidnapped but a handsome young man saved me!" Biddie said. Candy smiled at her friend and said:

"Biddie it was true. You were kidnapped! Don't you remember?" Biddie looked at Candy then thought to herself a moment and then said:

"Not really, just that some men grabbed me and then I was on a horse but not sitting right!" she stopped there but began again:

"It seems that I was in the air and then someone caught me and, and that is all I remember!" Biddie finished.

"Well, some of it is true, you were kidnapped and a young man did rescue you!" Candy said to her friend. Biddie listened to her, she could not seem to remember what really happened because it all felt like a dream.

"Perhaps I will remember later." Said Biddie who was now trying to get up of the bed. Candy pushed her gently back onto the bed and said:
"You are still very weak. I am going to get you some hot broth and let you rest!" Candy said as she stood up and went to the end of the bed.

"Thank you Candy!" she said and put her head back down on the pillow. She did feel rather weak and wanted to rest. Candy looked at her friend and then went back down to the kitchen to make some broth for her. There was a knock on the door and Lottie came in. She went to Candy and asked how Biddie was.

"Well, she woke up and she talked with me, she thinks it was all a dream!" Candy said as she stirred the broth.

"I think she might think that for a while yet, but that is good." Said Lottie who then asked Candy if she thought that Biddie might be able to answer some questions that Aaron had about her experience. Candy stopped stirring and poured the broth into a cup and said:

"Lottie, I don't know. I think she needs to rest for a few days and then he can ask her some questions. Does he need to ask her right now? It might not be good for her, this soon after the incident." Candy said she had a tray with the broth and a little bread.

"You are probably right. Do you think I could come up with you?" asked Lottie and Candy said sure and they went back upstairs to the visit with Biddie.