"Come on Shorty, quit stalling" said Sam...... "you wanna get out of here don't you?" he had gotten up from the table and was pacing the floor behind Shorty.

Shorty got a chill up his spine and shrunk in his chair. "Yeah......... get out from behind me, would ya?" he said...... "you're making me nervous......"

 

Sam went back to his chair, and leaned his arms on the table in front of him. "That better? Maybe you want me to go in the other room too" he said sarcasticly. "Now get to it, or I'll get to what I got in mind for you"

 

Shorty looked him in the eyes, and knew what that was, so he continued with his story.

"OK...... OK.........." he said, "just give me a minute"..........

"Well....... let's see......... I told you Jim was killing off the ranchers that didn't want to join up in his scheme.........."? 

 

Nobody said anything.......

 

"Anyway...... he got kinda friendly with one of our gang, and was getting information about where we was getting our stock, so he played along for a while, then he started blackmailing all of us.......... either we gave him a cut, or he'd turn us in." he looked at George "so you see how I got to working for Jim, now."

George nodded "Go on." he said.......

 

"Ya know, I gotta have something to eat..... I'm hungry" Shorty whined.. "I didn't get to eat all my supper, and half of it I don't even remember before this galloot dragged me over here" he jerked his thumb, toward Sam.

 

Sam threw up his hands, rolled his eyes to the ceiling, and sighed........ "Maybe you want someone should feed you too, you sidewinder......... You get nothin' till you get done with what you got to say...." Sam slammed his fist on the table in front of Shorty. Shorty jumped, and almost tipped his chair backwards. Sam glared at him until he straightened up. "Now get to it........." he ordered.

 

"Jim should have slit your throat, while he had that knife to ya" said Shorty quietly. Sam reached up and ran his fingers over his cheek, as he felt of the scar. "So............" said Sam "that was Jim behind that mask......"

Shorty watched Sams eyes smolder and said "Well you asked for it...... You with all your high falootin' talk about getting who was behind the killing of those ranchers" Sam reached over and grabbed Shorty by the shirt...... "Now you listen, and you listen good......... he might think he's got away with somethin' but he aint....... No sir.... not by a long shot he aint" He pushed Shorty back into his chair and went to stand at the sink. He saw his reflection in the window, and saw the scar glaring back at him.

 

"No sir......... I aint done with him yet........." he said to himself.......

"Not yet.........."

 

 

 

 

 

I had to delete again, because I got some of the characters in the wrong places. Places they couldn't possibly be, I'll redo it soon.

Sorry.

Karen

Sam went back to the table and sat down. He knew something was going to have to be done with Jim, and his gang. They had run roughshod over the people of this community long enough.

 

He looked at George, and Chase. Both men looked beat, and he figured he couldn't look a lot better. It had been a long night.

Shorty was coming down off his drunk, and looked like he wasn't in the mood to say a whole lot more, so Sam spoke up "George...... what do ya say we call it a night?"

George nodded tiredly, and got up to stretch his legs. "Ya....... that sounds like a good idea to me. We can continue on with this in the morning" He grabbed Shorty by the shoulder of his shirt, and hauled him to his feet. "Come on......." he said "Time to hit the hay" He shoved him toward the door. "I'll bed down in the barn with our prisoner....... See you boys in the morning" He closed the door behind them, and pointed Shorty in the direction of the barn.

 

Chase and Sam sat staring at the door for a few minutes, in silence. Shorty had had a lot to say, and they had a lot to think about.

Finally Chase pushed away from the table, and picked up his hat, as he went out to sit on the porch.

Sam cleaned up the kitchen, then went out to join him.

Chase looked up as Sam closed the door. "I'll take the stage back in the morning,' he said "you can help George with Shorty"

 

Sam nodded as he sat down. He wished Chase would wait for a day, but the stage had to go out. "You going to tell Jenny?" Sam asked

"No," said Chase "I think this is something we should keep to ourselves, she's been through enough, just having to live with the man."

Sam nodded again "Thanks......." and he got up and went inside.

He knew Chase wouldn't do anything to hurt Jenny.

 

Chase was getting ready to go inside, after about an hour, when he saw some riders pass slow. He watched them as they were trying not to make any noise, and talking in hushed tones. They were headed into town by way of the back street, and had to pass almost directly in front of Sams place. Chase stayed in the shadows while they passed, then when they disappeared behind the buildings, he went inside and woke Sam up.

"Sam......." he whispered...... "Sam............" he shook him by the shoulder......... "Come on...... somethings going on toward town."

Sam sat up "What is it?" he asked

"I don't know yet" said Chase as he explained about the riders. Sam was getting dressed and said "Go get George...... and tell him to make sure Shorty is tied tight. I'll finish getting my clothes and boots on and meet you back here"

Chase went out the back door and headed for the barn. George was already on his way to the house, and Chase met him half way. He told George what he saw, while they went toward the back door. Sam came out just as they got there. "What do you think George?" asked Sam...... "You think it's Jim and his boys?" 

"Peers to be, I reacon" said George. "You boys ready for a little action?" he looked from one to the other, as they nodded in turn.

"Then let's get 'em" he said, and headed up the back street on foot.....

 

 

When they got close to the jail, they could see the men were off thier horses, and milling around.

George stopped and said quietly to the two men, "You keep them in sight, I'm going around to the front, and keep the deputy inside company, we'll see if we can round these owlhoots up easy like"

Sam and Chase nodded, and George slipped around the building.

 

George had just gotten inside, and explained to the deputy what was going on, when they heard a noise outside. Quickly they flanked the door on either side, and waited. Soon a shadow filled the space as the door opened. The shadow searched the dark room, and not seeing anyone, went to the back where the cells were. The deputy waited at the door for more intruders, and George followed the man to the back. He watched as the shadowy figure was fumbling with a key, to open one of the cells. He slipped up behind him, and hit him, and knocked him out. Quickly he tied him up, and gagged him, then went out front again, and he and the deputy slipped out the door, and around the building to the back.

Sam and Chase saw them as they came around the corner on the opposite side of the waiting gang. With guns drawn, all four men stepped out and had the drop on the gunmen.

"Drop your guns.........." ordered George. The men were surprised to have been caught and only one held his gun in his hand, while the rest of the men dropped thiers to the ground, and raised thier hands. He was slowly taking aim at George when Sams gun made a clicking sound, behind him. The man stiffened, as he slowly lowered his gun hand.

Sam spoke "Good idea, Jim......... I'd sure hate for you to have an accident now........ You know....... when we got so much to talk about too......."

Jims gun hit the dirt, as he dropped it and he turned around to see Sam and Chase standing there.

The Sheriff, his deputy, and the two citizens, marched the ranchers, and gunmen, into the jail, and had them locked up, without firing a shot.

This was enough to have Jim and his men put away for a long time. Breaking prisoners out of jail for vigilante and lynching purposes,  was a hard offense to get out of. Especially when the gang couldn't wait for the chance to sing thier little hearts out, trying to get a deal.

 

Chase and Sam finally got to Sams place when the sun was coming up. Chase yawned and threw himself on the couch with his clothes on, and Sam went to his bedroom and did the same.

Neither man heard the stage leave town two hours later, with a relief driver at the reins.

 

Jenny hummed as she curried and brushed the mare. The last one for the day. The sun felt good, even though the weather was a little cool. She was making plans for Christmas, as she brushed. Christmas and Jakes birthday. She smiled to herself. She had made Jake a shirt for his birthday. He had always wanted one with a fringe at the yoke, so she made it special. She was so proud of her son. He'd grown up to be quite a young man. His father would have been proud of him too.

 

She thought about the day Jake was born. Ben was so looking forward to the birth of thier child. He was such a good man.

Then those men rode in and killed him. He never harmed anyone, yet they chose him to be thier target. The shock had made her go into early labor, and Jake was born that same day. It was almost like an omen, that she shouldn't forget her husband, and should celebrate his life, as well as thier sons, and the birth of the Lord, all on the same day. That was what had kept her going, through all the hard times that followed. But she wouldnt' think about those times, only the happy times. Her good fortune at being Bens wife, and of carrying thier child, and now of having that beautiful boy......... no....... young man.......... to be so proud of. Her heart swelled at the thought of Jake. He was going to be a good man too, just like his father. 

 

She finished brushing the mare, and gloried at the shine of her coat. The horses all shone after thier brushing. Then when she let them out into the pasture again, the first thing they did after thier running around and showing off, to the other horses, was to find the first dusty area, and rolled in the dirt. She laughed to herself.......... it didn't matter, she loved them even if they did like to be dusty. It kept the flies off and they knew what they wanted.

 

She picked up her equipment and stowed it away in the barn, then brushed the lock of hair out of her eyes, with the back of her hand and went to the house to freshen up.

It was time to get Jake, and get the tree cut for Christmas.

 

She went into the house, and yelled......... "Jake.........? Jake, come on now, we should get the tree before dark" Nobody answered and she couldn't figure out why. "Jake? Where are you?" She looked all through the house and didn't see him. She went to the back door and looked........ then she yelled into the yard........ "Jake.............."

Still no answer......... "now where did that boy get to?" she asked herself as she went around the house, to the front yard, searching the horizon as she walked.

"Jake........" she yelled louder this time....... then listened. Concern furrowed her brow as she shaded her eyes from the sun. "Jake where are you?" She couldn't figure out where he would have gone, especially without telling her. It wasn't like him to disappear, like this.......

Maybe he's out riding, she thought. But she hadn't noticed any of the horses being gone, and she hadn't heard anything. "He has to be here" she said out loud, to herself. But where?

 

Jake heard his mother calling him, but he didn't want her to know what he'd been doing, so he skirted the buildings and came out from behind the house, before he answered.

"I'm here......." he said, and she turned with a look of relief on her face. "Why didn't you answer me when I yelled?" she asked

"I just did........" said Jake, evasively, with a look of inocence on his face.

"Well, never mind" she said "We should get the tree now, or is there something you were doing?"

"No...... it's ok.......... now, is ok......" and he hoped his face didn't give anything away, as he turned toward the barn to saddle a couple of horses.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face as he walked away from his mother. "Boy, won't she be surprised when she sees" he said under his breath.

"Were you talking to me?" she asked from just behind him. He didn't think she was that close...... and the smile left his face as he turned and said "No Maam, just talking to myself"

 

He snagged a rope on his way through the front of the barn and out the back. As he cleared the back door, he said real low....... "Shhhhh..... she's in the barn" he grinned, and continued on his way to catch a horse for his mother. He hadn't dared to look to the side as he went out, or she'd have known. He wanted to shout and whoop and holler........ but that would ruin everything.

 

"Jake.........." she said as she followed in his footsteps "Wha.........?" she said as she cleared the barn door, and someone grabbed her from behind. She stifled a scream as she was spun around......... and there standing face to face with her, was Sam. She threw her arms around his neck, and squeeled in delight. "Sam........." She said happily..

Sam hugged her to him and spun around in the corral, with her hanging onto his neck.

 

"How's it going Sis?" he said as he swung her around. When he put her down on her own feet, tears glistened in her eyes. "It's just fine..... now....... I got my family around me........" she said.

 

"Where's Chase?" she asked, looking around the corral.

Sam grinned, and teased, "now there's a welcome every man wants to hear........ with the woman in his life, asking about another man, before she even asks how he's been......."

Jennys blushed, and looked at him with her lids lowered....... "Well there are other men in my life, besides you, you know....." she said as she squirmed out of his grasp, and ran to the barn to get the saddles ready.

Sam laughed as he followed her. "Yeah, I guess there are..... and anyway, what chance has a brother got when his sister is sweet on his best friend.......?"

 

"You didn't answer me," she said as she opened the stall......... "where is Chase?".......

"He'll be along" said Sam "He had something he had to do at the stage office before he could come out......... Something about a contract, I think."

Sam took the horse from Jake, as he left to get another for himself.

Jenny got a bridle from the hook, and began putting it on the horse, while Sam got her saddle.

They had her horse ready when Jake got back with his, and they did his just as quickly.

Soon they were all riding toward the woods....... to pick out the perfect tree.

 

 

Chase came out of the stage office, with a big grin on his face. He had gotten paid and had just signed a contract to be put on as thier driver full time. This meant more pay, and he wanted to splurge on Christmas gifts. He went to the general store and bought several gifts for Jake and Sam. He was at a loss to know what to get for Jenny. He had never bought gifts for a woman before. He knew she liked to sew, so he got her some pretty bolts of cloth, then he saw the jewelry department in the back of the store. Before he knew it, he had a ring in his hand, and was absently twirling it on his little finger. The proprietor of the store stood and grinned at him, and knew this was something special. "Are you of a mind to ask a certain gal to be your wife?" he asked. Chase started at the sound of the voice, and stammered "uh...... well....... uh.......... I reacon I may be, at that" He was blushing and that is something he never did...... He looked down at the ring, and tried to gage what size she would be.......... "I think this is about the right size" he said almost to himself...... "I'll take it" with that he paid for it, and all his other purchases, then bought some Christmas candy, and went back to the stage office to borrow a wagon.

He made a stop at the feed store and bought some sacks of grain for the horses, and headed for the ranch with his own horse trailing behind, lead by a rope.

He hoped he hadn't been presumptous in buying the ring. What if she didn't want to marry him? For the first time since leaving the store, he had doubts. She knew what he felt, he knew she did, and she hadn't said she wasn't interested............. Dog gone it, he should have asked her first, before he bought it.

What if she said no? He didn't know if he could take it if she did. He wanted her so bad. He actually loved a woman for the first time in his life......... and wanted her as his wife.

'No...... she won't say no...' he thought to himself. 'she just can't'............

 

He slapped the reins on the rumps of the horses to speed them up, and soon he had the house in view.

It was a beautiful day, and the sky was beginning to turn shades of pink and orange, in the coming sunset.

He pulled up to the barn with the wagon, and stashed the gifts in the loft, and the feed in the bin. The only gift he didn't leave in the barn was the precious ring. That he had in his breast pocket, right next to his contract with the stage company.

 

He hurried to get the horses cared for, and headed for the house, just as he saw Sam, Jenny and Jake coming, dragging a Christmas tree behind.

This was the happiest day he could ever remember.

 

Jennys heart skipped a beat when she saw Chase come out of the barn. He's so handsome, she thought to herself, just like his brother was.......
Shocked at her thought, she got a sinking feeling in her heart. No.. Is this how I should feel toward him? Should I love him like a sister?
Does he think of me as a sister?

I'm being foolish, of course he doesn't, she thought, but he is younger, by a year. Ben had said his brother was three years younger than him, so that makes Chase a year younger... her eyes welled with tears, .....than me.

 

She tried to visualize how she must look to him. She had long graying hair, which wasn't unusual for someone in her thirties. She always kept it pulled back in a bun that sat on her neck. Did that make her look older than her years? Maybe, but it wasn't practical to have it flying away in the wind, all the time either. Sure sometimes the wind loosened strands that played with herface when she got busy, but that couldn't be helped.

She wondered if her sun dried skin made him shrivel from looking at her....
If her figure sagged just a little too much... was she too dark from spending so much time out in the sun?

 

She ventured another look at him, as he walked toward them.

He wasn't looking at her, he was looking at Sam......... and had a big smile on his face...... It was Sam he was happy to see, not her.....

 

Her heart took another dive..... The tears got closer to the surface..... Silently, she sobbed.... This is my brother-in-law. My feelings for him are those of a sister. Not as a special woman.

She was sure that's how he must see her, too. As a sister...

 

They were next to the house now, and she quickly slid off her horse, and hurried through the door. She ran to her bedroom and shut the door, and burst into tears.
She felt so foolish for thinking there could be anything between Chase and her.

 

She heard the men and Jake dragging the tree into the house, and put it in the bucket she had set out for that purpose. She heard them laughing and joshing each other, as they got the tree settled in. She wished she could join them, but she couldn't, when she was in the state she was in.

They'd ask questions.......

 

After a while, Sam came to the door and knocked.......
"Jen?" he said "Are you alright?" She choked back a sob, and managed to speak in a near normal voice "I just have a headache...... I'll be OK in a little while"

She heard him walk back to the others as he spoke in hushed tones. To tell them she had a headache, she imagined.....

They must never know what she had been thinking....... That she loved Chase as more than a brother.....
'They can never know.......' she said quietly as she dried her eyes 'Never........'

Jenny lay on her bed, thinking about what she had just realized, and soon she dozed, from pure exhaustion. She tossed and turned and dreamed........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jenny woke with a tear soaked pillow. It had gotten dark, and the house was quiet. Her heart was breaking at the dream, she had just had. She sobbed involuntarily, and reached for her handkerchief.......

 

Chase went to the hay loft after Sam had made a supper for him and Jake. They all helped with the cleanup and Jake had turned in early. Sam and Chase sat on the porch for a while, listening to the night birds then both had gone thier respective ways.

Now Chase had finished wrapping the gifts he'd bought in town. He popped a piece of the candy in his mouth and lay on his bed of hay. He was trying to think of how he would ask Jenny to be his wife. He wanted it to be the perfect proposal. He only hoped she wouldn't laugh in his face. That would be the ultimate humiliation.

He listened to the sounds of the horses out in the corral, as every now and then one would blow. It was a relaxing sound, and he started to doze......... Suddenly, the sounds changed, and he came wide awake and listened.
He was hardly breathing, trying to hear what was different. He heard the scraping sound of someones boots as they were getting on the corral fence.

 

He immediately put his own boots on, and stealthily climbed down out of the loft. He slowly went to the door, and opened it just enough to allow himself to pass through. He crept around the barn and eased around the corner of the corral. He stood poised to grab whoever it was, and stepped out into the open..... He took hold of the person standing on the fence and pulled.... and they both dropped to the ground....... Chase doubled up his fist, and hauled it back in position to smash it into the face of the intruder, when Jenny gasped, and yelped. "Chase......" she yelled.......... "It's me......"

Chase relaxed his fist, and looked into the face of the woman he loved. He let out his breath as he held her down, and let his body relax with a sigh..... "You scared the daylights out of me...." he said. "I thought we had someone trying to let out the horses......." he paused as he looked into her face, and saw the changing expressions there......

 

She stared at him in the dark...... the moon lit shadows played with his jaw muscles, and made them look like they were swimming. She watched his lids lower as he looked at her mouth, and his face got closer, and closer to hers. She reached to push back his hair, that had drooped over his forehead....... and before she could stop herself, her own mouth had raised to meet his.
It was a tentative kiss at first, just barely a touch of the lips...... then it blossomed into a wonderful,
beautiful, flower. His mouth was sweet....It was as if she had never been kissed before, and he had only appeared to show her how wonderful a kiss could be. She kissed him in return, and knew she could never think of this man as a brother.

He was her heart.... as no other man could ever be.

She loved him and would spend her life showing him, if he only wanted her to.
Oh how she prayed he wanted her to......... "Jenny..... my sweet beautiful Jenny....." Chase whispered as he broke off the kiss. "I love you so much....."
He lightly kissed her mouth again "Will you be my wife?" he asked.

She lay in the dust as she tried to remember what he had just said....
Chase felt the hesitation, and tensed...... this wasn't the right time, he thought as he condemned himself. 'You fool' he thought........ 'how could you ask her while you have her pinned to the ground, like some saloon girl?'

"I'm sorry..... I shouldn't have said that" he said hurriedly, as he started to get up.......
"Said what?" she asked in bewilderment....... "Didn't you just ask me to be your wife?"
Chase looked down at her, and smiled......... "yeah.... I guess I did"
Jenny couldn't believe her own ears...... this was her dream coming true......