travois. It was nearly daylight when they finally finished. Jax began talking in his sleep, mumbling things that made no sense. They fastened the travois to Jax’s horse and carried him to it. Reeves picked him up under his arms while Virginia grabbed his legs. He mumbled something Virginia didn’t hear, but Reeves did.
He prayed what he heard wasn’t true. He couldn’t let her reputation be ruined by this man, even if he did save her life. He said nothing to his sister. There was no good in talking about it now. They needed to get him to the doctor in Chugwater, and it was more than a day’s ride.
He led Jax’s horse and Virginia rode on the travois with Jax, wiping his brow with a cool wet rag. She dabbed it all over his face and squeezed it in his mouth. She feared he would dehydrate.
She was tender with him. Reeves noticed it from the start. He feared his sister had fallen in love with him. He wouldn’t allow it if he could help it. He knew beyond a doubt she could do better than a gunslinger. Even if the man did save her, he was no good for her. The words Jax mumbled in his feverish slumber, worried him. “Can’t let them know, don’t tell them, I’m the Angel of Death. Can’t let them find me, tired too tired” he mumbled.
Reeves knew very little about the man they called the Angel of Death, but the little he did know bothered him. His sister had been with the man for no telling how long. People would talk for sure. He needed to come up with a cover story, and tell them he came upon Jax before he found and killed her kidnappers. He hoped the townsfolk would believe that. He knew that given the opportunity they would try to force his sister into a marriage with the gunslinger to protect her reputation. He also suspected no one knew the man’s, own reputation.
They didn’t stop long enough to make camp, preferring only to take five minute bathroom breaks and eating jerky instead of a meal. There was no time to stop. If they stopped, they might not make it back in time to save Jax’s life, and while part of Reeves didn’t care if Jax lived or died the other part, knew it was wrong of him to feel that way. He didn’t really know the man, and he couldn’t let him die after he saved Virginia’s life. He warred with his conscience, but his conscience won out in the end.
They rode straight through the night, not stopping to sleep. They could sleep when they got to Chugwater. Being raised on a ranch Reeves had gone without sleep before, and it was nothing new to him. The only light they had was that which was put off by the moon, but it was a clear night and the ground was easy to see. Reeves followed the North Star to Chugwater. They would be there by late afternoon, the following day.
Reeves looked back at the pair on the travois. His sister had fallen asleep and her head lay on the gunslinger’s chest. “Damn,” he said aloud. “Damn it all to hell.” He shook his head furiously. How could his grandmother allow it? The woman had to be addlebrained to allow Virginia within ten feet of a man that dangerous. What was she thinking?
Chapter Eighteen
The whole town came out to see the trio that had returned. Everyone watched and stared in amazement that Virginia had been found alive. They were even more astonished to find out the man who’d gone to rescue her was now lying upstairs in the restaurant, being treated by the town doctor. As soon as word got around that it had been an arrow not a bullet that had found its way into his leg, people began to panic. There was a fear of an Indian attack on homes on the outskirts of town.
They imagined all kinds of scenarios. What shocked them the most was
He prayed what he heard wasn’t true. He couldn’t let her reputation be ruined by this man, even if he did save her life. He said nothing to his sister. There was no good in talking about it now. They needed to get him to the doctor in Chugwater, and it was more than a day’s ride.
He led Jax’s horse and Virginia rode on the travois with Jax, wiping his brow with a cool wet rag. She dabbed it all over his face and squeezed it in his mouth. She feared he would dehydrate.
She was tender with him. Reeves noticed it from the start. He feared his sister had fallen in love with him. He wouldn’t allow it if he could help it. He knew beyond a doubt she could do better than a gunslinger. Even if the man did save her, he was no good for her. The words Jax mumbled in his feverish slumber, worried him. “Can’t let them know, don’t tell them, I’m the Angel of Death. Can’t let them find me, tired too tired” he mumbled.
Reeves knew very little about the man they called the Angel of Death, but the little he did know bothered him. His sister had been with the man for no telling how long. People would talk for sure. He needed to come up with a cover story, and tell them he came upon Jax before he found and killed her kidnappers. He hoped the townsfolk would believe that. He knew that given the opportunity they would try to force his sister into a marriage with the gunslinger to protect her reputation. He also suspected no one knew the man’s, own reputation.
They didn’t stop long enough to make camp, preferring only to take five minute bathroom breaks and eating jerky instead of a meal. There was no time to stop. If they stopped, they might not make it back in time to save Jax’s life, and while part of Reeves didn’t care if Jax lived or died the other part, knew it was wrong of him to feel that way. He didn’t really know the man, and he couldn’t let him die after he saved Virginia’s life. He warred with his conscience, but his conscience won out in the end.
They rode straight through the night, not stopping to sleep. They could sleep when they got to Chugwater. Being raised on a ranch Reeves had gone without sleep before, and it was nothing new to him. The only light they had was that which was put off by the moon, but it was a clear night and the ground was easy to see. Reeves followed the North Star to Chugwater. They would be there by late afternoon, the following day.
Reeves looked back at the pair on the travois. His sister had fallen asleep and her head lay on the gunslinger’s chest. “Damn,” he said aloud. “Damn it all to hell.” He shook his head furiously. How could his grandmother allow it? The woman had to be addlebrained to allow Virginia within ten feet of a man that dangerous. What was she thinking?
Chapter Eighteen
The whole town came out to see the trio that had returned. Everyone watched and stared in amazement that Virginia had been found alive. They were even more astonished to find out the man who’d gone to rescue her was now lying upstairs in the restaurant, being treated by the town doctor. As soon as word got around that it had been an arrow not a bullet that had found its way into his leg, people began to panic. There was a fear of an Indian attack on homes on the outskirts of town.
They imagined all kinds of scenarios. What shocked them the most was
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