Lou Silt Read online

  “No, we are fine. I trained Breezy well. She is a fine cook and will rustle up some grub mighty soon.”

  We left the house and led our horses to the barn. “You ain’t said a word, Hitch; you got somethin’ on your mind?”

  “Well, Lou, Dorcus seems awful friendly but I don’t trust her. She never had a kind word for me. Staying here overnight don’t sit too well with me either. If the men folk return we may have trouble. She was right about Josephus. He is a nasty piece of work and both his brother, Haydn and Rafe follow him like puppy dogs. They are a mean bunch and I do not doubt what Jess Waldo told us. You can see Dorcus is getting’ up there and she won’t be able to control them boys much longer. I see trouble coming down this mountain. I do not think this is a good place for Breezy, either. If something happens to Dorcus she is not going to be safe here.”

  “What do you mean? She got her kin folk here and she seems able to care for herself.”

  “I do believe it is her kinfolk she got to worry about. You ain’t seen the way the men look at her. Last time I was up her she got after Rafe with a whip. It was a sight to see but I do not think this a good place for her if Dorcus passes on.”

  I just shook my head at this. Folks are just full of evil and it always seems to come out of nowhere. They is sure hard to understand. Maybe I was better off with the cattle. All these human complications made for a passel of headaches.

  We unsaddled the horses and rubbed them down. After laying out some hay and putting them in stalls we made our way to the pump and washed up a little. We could smell meat cooking in the house and our stomachs began growling. Having not eaten since the morning, we were a might famished. “Hell, lets make the best of it. Maybe Josephus will return tomorrow and we can settle this while we are here. I do not want to start a battle over a couple of elk.”

  We went back in the house. Breezy had set out places at a large wooden table. Old Dorcus was seated at the head and we pulled up benches on either side of her. Breezy came in from the kitchen carrying a pot of elk stew, corn bread and some green vegetable in her arms. It smelled good and got our juices flowing.

  “I hope you like my stew. Just help yourselves, we ain’t too fancy hereabouts.”

  Nevertheless she ladled out a plate for Hitch with big chunks of meat and gravy. He grinned at her and thanked her. We set in to eating and was chomping away likkety-split. It was mighty good but the green things was soft and unfamiliar.

  “Pardon for askin’, Breezy, but just what are these green vegetables?”

  “That be okra.” Dorcas said. “We brought seeds from back home when we come out here. I sure do miss the food from back in Loosiana. We tried to make it like back home but we can’t get them spices and nothing tastes the same. After the war the South was no place for us, so we headed west. Never thought I would spend my final days on a mountain in snow and cold. My husband wanted to come out here, so here we came. Well it was a good life until that bear got Zeke. I had to be strong and runnin’ this clan weren’t easy.”

  She sighed and smiled. She did not have many teeth left. “Well that is my tale. My days is numbered and I just hope the family can endure. I have a feeling it won’t be long until someone will want us off this mountain. The days of free land is over and the government will be sticking their hands into our business right soon. Ain’t one of the men left got any head for law or business and I fear for their future.”

  I swallowed a chunk of elk. “Well, Miz Dorcas, I know nothing of your legal right to this land but I will look into it if that is your wish. I do not know the legal disposition of this

  mountainside but I surely can find out and see if there is a way for you to claim it. You are right about things changing and changing fast. The old west is about over and the plains is being settled right quickly.”

  While Old Dorcus and I was discussin’ things Breezy and my pardner was making eyes at each other. It was pretty obvious that they was sparkin’ pretty fierce. I was waiting for Dorcus to say something but she was just ignoring them.

  We finished our dinner and Breezy made us some coffee. Old Dorcus lit up her pipe and offered us some tobacco. We had never taken up the habit but Hitch did smoke for ceremonial reasons and always kept some with him. He gave a pouchful to Old Dorcas, for which she seemed awful grateful.

  “I thank you for the tobacco. We can’t rightly grow it up here and it is getting hard to come by cash to buy it.”

  I asked when the men folk was returning but Dorcas said she was not rightly sure. It depended on the luck of the hunt. She thought not for a few days at the earliest.

  Breezy offered to show us to a room in the back of the house. I thanked her but said we would be better off in the barn. They had all the younguns in the house and while I had no reason to distrust Dorcas, I felt better being close to the horses. We said our goodnights and headed out to the barn. After a visit to the outhouse we settled in for the night.

  Being early spring it was still cold at night. We were higher up and the chill was right frosty. We settled our bedrolls in a pile of hay and that proved to be mighty toasty.

  “Well. Hitch, we did not accomplish much here. Old Dorcas seems to have mellowed some but I think I can see trouble coming from her kin when she passes. Josephus seems a handful. I wish we had seen him just so I could take a measure of the man. I hardly remember him except for being a nasty little bastard. Of course now I know why you was so anxious to join me. That Breezy is quite a high spirited gal. I think you better watch your scalp or it might be hangin’ from her saddle.”

  “Aw, Lou, you quit riding me. I could do a lot worse. She is a pretty thing and she was real good with them little ones. Plus as you can see she can handle a horse and a rifle. She ain’t no delicate flower like some of them back East ladies.”

  “You sure are right there. Let’s get some sleep; I want to be up and out early. We got a piece to travel tomorrow and I want to try for some game. Be a shame to come back from a trip like this empty handed.”

  I had fallen asleep but awoke when I heard Hitch whispering from the next stall over. The moon was full and the barn was pretty bright. I reached for my Colt and snuck a look through the boards to the adjoining stall. There was Hitch and Breezy holding hands and whispering into each others ears. I almost burst out laughing but left them to it. I got back in my bedroll and thought of Violett waiting back in Lost Path. I fell back to sleep dreaming of her milky white skin.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  I rose before the sun came up. Hitch was snoring in his bedroll with no sign of Breezy nearby. I shook him awake and we got ready to leave. After feeding and watering the horses we said our goodbyes and headed back down the cart path.

  I turned to Hitch and said, “I thought you was going to set the barn on fire last night. You and that little fireball was like to set off sparks.”

  He grinned at me. “Sorry about that, Lou. She can be pretty persuasive. I got to figure a way to get her away from here. She can’t stand her kin but is afraid to leave Old Dorcas alone. She said Josephus is getting crazier by the day and she fears for them both.”

  “Well, why don’t they come down to Lost Path? We can look after them there.”

  “I already said that to her but Dorcas will

  not leave her home. She told Breezy she would

  rather die than leave. It is a concern.”

  We were turning off the cart path to head

  down the mountain when we saw the hunting

  party coming up towards us. I counted six mounted riders and two wagons. As we approached I waved my hat and we rode up to them. I recognized Josephus right off. He had grown larger in every way but still had a mean

  and nasty look about him.

  He halted the party as we rode up. I raised

  my hand in greeting. “Good morning to you,

  Josephus. I am Marshal Silt, as I am sure you

  know. It has been awhile but I came up to see Old

  Dorcas and to have a talk with
you.”

  He had a large head with long matted hair

  hanging down below his coat collar. His deep set

  eyes burned cold. He looked me over and

  sneered. “I see you be the law now. Well I

  remember beating the tar out of you.” He spun

  his horse around to face Hitch. “What the hell is

  that half-breed doing here; He the law now too?” “Never mind that; I want to talk to you

  about a couple of mule skinners in town that

  come in complaining about you and your

  brothers stealing elk from them. I need to get

  your side of the story.”

  “Ain’t no side to get. They was poaching

  on our land and we drove them off. They are

  lucky they got off so easy.”

  I could see the men behind Josephus

  inching closer. They was all armed. “Well, I do

  believe that you got no legal title to the land you

  are occupying. I aim to look all that up when I get

  back to town but as far as I know this is open land and anyone can hunt it. If you claim you have title to the land I will see to that. Dorcas made no such claim when I spoke to her

  yesterday.”

  “You mean you two was up there all

  night? I don’t care if you is the law, you got no

  right staying on my property without an invite.” “First of all it ain’t your property and we

  was invited by Dorcas. I do believe she is still the

  head of this clan of yours.”

  While he was thinking of his next move I

  pulled my horse up along side him. He reached

  for the pistol at his side. I was close enough to

  him to grab his arm.

  “Ain’t no need for that. I am the law and if

  anyone pulls a fire arm they will be arrested and

  put in jail.” While still holding onto Josephus I

  pulled out my Winchester as Hitch cocked the

  hammers on his shotgun.

  I let Josephus go. “Get off your horse, now.

  All of you dismount.”

  He glared at me but waved his kin off.

  They all slowly got off their horses and gathered

  round Josephus. I alit also.

  “Now you listen to me. I ain’t here to

  cause no trouble. As the Marshal I wanted to pay

  a call on Dorcas and to ask about the elk that you

  took from the hunters.” He kept staring at me

  and said nothing. After a tense second he turned

  towards Hitch.

  “You may be the Marshal and that gives

  you some leeway but I will be damned if I will

  have a half-breed on my property. You best stay

  away from us or your scalp will be hanging from

  our tent pole.”

  With that he remounted, wheeled his

  horse around and signaled for the hunting party

  to climb up and proceed. As he waved them

  forward he turned to me.

  “I will deal with you another time, Silt.

  You being Marshal don’t mean jack shit to me.”

  He rode off and left us sitting there.

  “Ain’t he a beauty,” said Hitch. “We should

  have beat him to death years ago when we was

  younguns, now he is going to be a handful.” “Í already said that I ain’t about to start a

  war over a couple of elk. I will see about the land

  and maybe they will calm down. Although from

  what you said I do not feel easy about Breezy

  and Dorcas being up here. But I guess that is

  their choice. And don’t you go getting any ideas

  in your head that could lead to more problems

  for me.”

  Hitch said nothing, only turned his horse

  down the trail and we set out for home.

  We kept our eye out for game but were

  unlucky. We saw sign but did not come across

  even a deer. We had stopped by a stream to rest

  the horses when I spotted a rider and a trailing

  horse comin’ from a long ways off. I alerted Hitch and we led our horses into a wooded area and unsheathed our weapons. Someone was following us and I was afraid it was them Larues. Well, it was one of them but not the one I was

  expecting.

  As the rider drew closer we both saw that

  it was Breezy. We stepped forward to greet her.

  She reigned in her horse and the mule she was

  leading and jumped off. She was breathing hard

  and it took a few seconds for her to catch her

  breath. She was dressed in boy’s clothes with

  two belts of ammunition crossed on her chest

  and carrying a sidearm. The mule had two

  valises and other gear hitched to its saddle and

  pack.

  “I am glad I found you,” she gasped. “I was

  afraid they would catch me before I caught up to

  you.”

  “Whoa there, little gal,” I said. “What the

  hell are you going on about?”

  “Well, when Josephus and the rest got

  back to the homestead he started in yelling at

  Dorcus and then me. He said I was promised to

  Rafe and a lot of other shit that I did not take

  kindly to. He threatened both of us and said I

  would be tied up if I opened my mouth again. I

  am tired of him telling me what to do.” She

  walked up to Hitch and looked him in the eye. “I

  love you Hitch and I am going to marry you and

  him and the rest of them can go to hell.” She turned to me. “I want to come with

  you, Marshal. I can’t get Dorcas to leave but I will

  be damned if I will stay up there another night

  havin’ to fight off that evil little Rafe.”

  “What the hell are you doing, girl? You

  like to get us all killed. How is it that all of a

  sudden you done gone from sparkin’ and

  mooning to love and marriage?”

  She blushed a bright red and began to

  stammer. Hitch got up alongside her and took

  her hand. “No need to talk to her that way, Lou.

  We is in love but I did not know she would come

  after us.”

  Breezy looked up from under her hat. “I

  love Hitch and always have. I just could not tell

  him before. I had to get away. That Rafe was

  always after me and Josephus and Haydn did not

  care. I was afraid of all of them. I knew when

  they returned and learned you had been here for

  the night I would be in big trouble. Up ‘till now I

  could beat Rafe to a pulp. But that boy is crazy

  and he is getting bigger. I fear for Dorcus but she

  won’t listen to reason and I want to get away

  from that place. Let me come with you. I can

  work, be a help, whatever you need.”

  She looked at Hitch while she removed

  her hat. Staring at him she said, “I know this is all

  mighty rash but I do love you and if you will have

  me I would be your wife. I am 17 years old, strong and able. I can ride, shoot, cook and care

  for both human and animal.”

  I burst out laughing. I had never heard a

  girl propose to a man. She was a right feisty little

  thing. Hitch sat there with his bowler hat pushed

  back and his red hair sprouting all over. His

  mouth was agape and he looked like he was

  going to either run for the hills or kiss that gal. “Well, Breezy,” he said. “I am taken aback

  at
your offer. But I guess I feel the same way.

  This is all of a sudden but if you want to come

  back to Lost Path with us I will see to it that you

  have a place to stay. As for marriage, I would like

  to take a bit to ponder on that. Is that agreeable

  to you?”

  She nodded her head. I could see that

  what had started out as a visit to see Old Dorcas

  was turning into a potential county war. Like I

  said, this law business was getting way too

  complicated for me. Just like the territory around

  me was changing, so were the people I thought I

  knew.

  CHAPTER NINE

  We sat and pondered our dilemma. I did not want nor need to be part of this romantic drama. At heart I was a semieducated (due to Pappy’s insistence) cowboy who fell into a lawman’s role based on a blind seeking of justice for my father’s death. Easygoing by nature, I now found myself cast into a position I was ill prepared to deal with.

  Hitch sat against a tree trunk, honing his Bowie knife while Breezy was scratching in the dirt between her knees.

  “Well,” I said. “We are in a boiling kettle here and I must figure a way out. You two must decide what to do. I believe it would be best for Breezy to become scarce. Maybe the Larue boys will cool down when they realize she has gone for good. I know Doc Tallis got a sister down in Cheyenne who runs a boarding house where people come and stay to take the air. He is forever going on about how she needs help. I do believe a short stay there on Breezy’s part would help us all out.” I stood and walked to her side. “Would you be of a mind to do that, gal?”

  She looked at Hitch. “What do you think, Hitch? Is it better than staying in Lost Path? I can take care of myself. If Josephus comes gunnin’ I’ll shoot his eyes out.”

  “See,” I said. “That is what I am trying to avoid.” I glared at them both. “I ain’t turning Lost Path into a battle site over you two lovebirds. Let us get moving back to town. Hitch, you got something to say regarding all this?”

  He stood and joined me at Breezy’s side. “I think Lou is right. If you go away for a spell then maybe we can sort things out with your kin. If not then we will find other pastures to roam. I would hate to leave Lost Path but if that is the only way, then so be it.”