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“HEY MISTER WHAT YOU doin’ out’a bed?” one of the boys looked up from a rough wooden table.
“Ma, that fella that fell off the mountain is up.” The other boy called out.
A tall thin man with graying hair came from another room and grinned at Titus. “Good to see you up,” he offered, reaching out to take Titus’s hand. “I’m Bill Bentley.”
“Titus,” Titus said taking the other man’s hand.
“You boys clear off,” Mr. Bentley said. “Let Titus and me have a seat, and tell Sarah Jane to bring us some coffee.”
“Yes sir,” one boy droned.
“Pa, does this mean I can’t keep that horse?”
“Get on with you, you scamp.” Mr. Bentley said with a chuckle. “Sorry about that those boys are a bit bored just now.”
Titus grinned; he could only imagine what the prospect of your own mount at that age would mean to a boy of ten or twelve.
“So tell me what are you doing out here in this weather?” Mr. Bentley asked. “Molly and me was talkin’ it over last night, and I’ll admit to being mighty curious.”
“To be honest sir, I’ve been looking for you.” Titus admitted rubbing the back of his neck.
“Me? What for?”
Titus rummaged in the pocket of his shirt and pulled out the paper from Sherriff Davis.
Mr. Bentley scanned the letter shaking his head. “Sounds like my brother Bob has been getting’ himself worked up over nothing,” he said handing the letter back. “He should a known I’d stop if we had trouble or the weather turned bad.”
Titus took the letter, folding it and tucking it back into his pocket. “You had some trouble?” he asked.
“Pa, Calvin said you wanted coffee.” The young woman walked into the small room carrying two cups and a coffee pot.
She looked lovely in a simple brown dress that nearly matched her eyes, and her smile was welcoming.
“Thank you Sarah Jane.” The older man said with a smile, taking the cups and placing them on the table so that the young woman could pour.
“Sarah Jane, I’d like you to meet Titus.” Mr. Bentley added.
“Pleased to meet you Mr. Titus,” the girl said her brown eyes friendly.
“Miss Bentley.” Titus greeted.
“Where’s your ma?” Mr. Bentley asked.
“She’s over at the mission helping the padre,” Sarah Jane replied.
“Well when she gets back let her know our guest is up. Come to think of it he’s probably hungry as well.” The older man turned questioning eyes on Titus.
“I could eat.” Titus said with a smile.
“I’ll get you something,” Sarah Jane said smiling back at Titus, “and you Pa?”
“Whatever you have,” Mr. Bentley agreed.
The young woman disappeared into the other room again and Mr. Bentley studied Titus.
“You a deputy then?” he finally asked sipping his coffee.
“Yes sir.” Titus said, lifting the piping brew and breathing in the heady scent. “Sheriff Davis is friends with the sheriff up at Biders Clump and asked me to see what I could do.”
“Well I’m afraid we won’t be making that far this winter,” Mr. Bentley said. “We had some problems. First we lost a horse to a broken leg. Then we had trouble with our wagon, and finally, we nearly got snowed in with an early snow in the pass.”
Titus shook his head, “You’re lucky you made it this far by the sounds of things.”
“Yes we were. We made it through the snow in the lower pass and into this valley with the padres.”
Titus cocked his head curious.
“There’s a mission school here, and the priests run a trading post of sorts. They trade with the natives in the area selling items made here back east to keep the place funded.”
“So they gave you a place to sit out the winter.”
“Yes, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” Mr. Bentley folded his arms over his chest with a big grin.
Titus returned the grin, the man was smart.
“What will you do when you heal up?” Mr. Bentley asked.
“I don’t know. I’ll have to see what the situation’s like and then decide. I should try to get word to Sheriff Davis if I can though. He’ll be glad you’ve been found safe and sound.”
“I already sent word out to my brother,” Mr. Bentley said looking confused. “I would have thought it got there by now.”
“It could have,” Titus agreed. “I’ve been on the trail for a while and might have missed it.”
“We’ll talk to the padre and see what he thinks, but first let’s have some grub.”
No sooner had the man said the words than his daughter returned with two plates of beef and gravy with fried potatoes.
“That looks mighty good,” Titus said to the girl who smiled at him quietly.
“I’ve got a pie in the oven as well, so you’ll even get dessert.”
Titus had just dug into his meal when Mrs. Bentley came bustling through the door.
“Bill Bentley what are you doing letting this young man out of bed. What if he has a head injury?”
The dark haired woman hustled over to the table looking at Titus closely. “Does your head hurt?” she demanded, leaning forward and looking into his eyes.
“No ma’am,” Titus gulped meeting her dark eyes.
“How’s your stomach, feeling queasy?”
“No ma’am,” Titus repeated.
“Know any words besides ‘No’,” the woman added, her lips twitching.
“Yes ma’am,” Titus said smiling.
“Well I guess you’ll be alright then. I guess all that’s left is lunch.”
“I’ve got it Ma,” Sarah Jane returned to the table with two more plates. “The boys are eating in the kitchen.”
“Thank you Sarah Jane. Bill did you say grace?”
Mr. Bentley blushed softly putting down his fork and reaching out for his daughter and wife’s hands as they joined the men at the table.
Before he realized what was happening Titus’s hands were firmly grasped by the two Bentley women as they bowed their heads to give thanks.
Mr. Bentley prayer was a fine prayer, full of thanks and going on for many seconds.
The longer Mr. Bentley prayed the more Titus became aware of the small soft hand in his.
Opening one eye he peeked at the girl called Sarah Jane. She had a soft pale face, and her golden hair was like a wheat field at harvest. When she opened one dark brown eye to peek back at him, he closed his tight and chimed in with his host’s resounding Amen.
Titus couldn’t help but see the smile playing about Miss Bentley’s soft lips, and he knew he’d been caught looking at her.
“Molly, this young man’s been out hunting for us.”
“What? What for?” Mrs. Bentley turned her dark eyes on Titus.
“Sherriff Davis is friends with the sheriff in Biders Clump, and I guess our family up there was worried about us.”
“Oh dear, they must not have gotten our message.”
“I’m sure they will.” Mr. Bentley reached out patting his wife’s hand.” I think the big thing is that we need to let Sheriff Davis know that Titus is safe and sound.”
“Does that mean you’ll be staying with us Mr. Titus?” Sarah Jane asked her dark eyes, so much like her mother’s, bright.
