part0005

Mark was still in his seat when the train whistle blew, and it started chugging. Where was she? He stood, grabbed her bag, and rushed for the door. He ran down his car, outside and down the next three. She was nowhere to be seen.

The train was picking up speed but was still spinning its way through the town and up a hill. By the time he reached the last car, the train was flying. He ran back through the cars and found the conductor.

The conductor shook his head. “Sorry, we’re not stopping till we get to Livermore crossing. You can get off there.”

The conductor looked at it, then him. “Where’s the woman that was with you?”

“Some partner. But like I said, you’re on here until we get to the next stop.”

Mark ran to the door and stepped outside. The train was going too fast for him to jump, but up ahead, he saw a tight bend in the tracks. He looked back at the conductor, but he’d gone about his business checking tickets.

Mark shook his head. “What were you thinking, Evangeline?” She’d never let on that she was going to leave him. When he got his hands on her, he’d... He laughed. He’d kiss her. Even now, he couldn’t be so mad at her that he’d do anything to hurt her.

The train began the turn and slowed. Mark tossed the bags, waited for the train to go around the bend and be at its slowest, and then jumped. He rolled, felt a rock gouge his back, but kept tumbling.

Finally, he stopped at the bottom of a ravine. He laid there until he was sure he was all in one piece. Finally, he scrambled to his feet and dusted off his jacket and looked at Fort Collins. At least it wasn’t far away. He picked up the bags and started walking.

Halfway to town, he thought about throwing her bag in the dirt. He owed her nothing, and now she’d disappeared. Probably got off the train in Fort Collins. But why?

He thought back to the brief time he’d known Evangeline. She was quiet. Reserved. Spoke few words. He stopped and set down the bags. Her eyes. They held a mystery. Maybe a sadness about them.

Mark was usually a pretty good judge of a person’s character, but Evangeline had tricked him. He kicked a clod of dirt. He still loved her. He looked toward Fort Collins. “What is your secret, Evangeline? And here I wanted to call you Angel.”

Watching the graceful bird soar into the blue sky, Mark prayed to the Lord. “I know you’ve got Your hand on my life. I even admit that I believe You put that love in my heart for Evangeline, but I sure can’t figure out why You let her run away. Help me find her, Lord. Thank you.”

Mark smiled, picked up the bags, and strode confidently to Fort Collins. One thing he knew was that he could trust the Lord. Some of his friends thought he was too easy-going, but they mistook his trust in the Lord for being carefree.

“Where are you, Evangeline?” He kept thinking of what he might say to her, but nothing seemed to fit. He’d just have to wait until he found her and see how the circumstances played out.

Dusting dirt from his shirt, he stopped in the hotel to see if she’d registered, but the clerk said no one had been in that day. Mark walked the streets and finally stopped in at the sheriff’s office to see if something might have happened to her.

The sheriff was out, but a deputy remembered a woman Pinkerton agent stopping in earlier to pick up the prisoner, Sam Russell. Said she was taking him to Dodge.

Mark thanked him and left. He went out past the jail and slipped into the alley and pounded a fist against the wall. “Evangeline, what are you up to?” The idea that perhaps she’d stolen her husband from jail tore into his heart.

That would explain her attitude toward him. No wonder she hadn’t responded to him. Mark had loved her. Given in to her demands. He’d even bought her a bag of peanuts.

He looked down and saw a few peanut shells on the ground. Mark grinned. He bent down and picked up the shells and twirled them in his hand. “I’ll find you, Evangeline.”

Some men walked past him on the way to the livery, and Mark followed them. He waited his turn and asked the mountain-of-a-man for a good horse.

“Sold my two best earlier today, but I have Timber you can buy if you can handle a green-broke bronc. He’s fast as the wind, though.” He pointed to a brown-black jughead that stood at the end of the corral. Head down, relaxed with one foot bent, the horse looked at them with a wicked eye.

“He’s the best I got left. I’ll have some more come in at the end of the week.”

“Yep.” At least the plan had been to buy a couple of horses when they reached Cheyenne so, he had the funds. Now, he understood why Evangeline had asked for some of her allowance money.

The old man handed a rope to him. “You catch him and make sure you really want him.”

Mark took the rope, loosened it, and swung it into a loop and walked toward the ornery-looking animal.

The horse stood his ground and didn’t even flinch when the rope went around his neck. Then he walked as obediently as a puppy back to the barn. Mark patted his neck. “We’ll be friends, right boy?”

“Na, he’s a good one to catch and saddle. It’s once you get on him. And even then, you never know when he’ll go off. His name comes from—”

The livery owner grinned. “No, a falling cowboy. You just watch him when you’re riding him. Like I said, it doesn’t have to be the first minute. That horse has patience and can wait for an hour or days before he decides to buck you off. I’ve sold him a dozen times, and a dozen times people have brought him back. He’s fast as the wind, but that’s usually after he’s left his rider in the dirt.”

“Sounds like a fun one. But then the way my day is going, I wouldn’t expect anything less. Saddle him up.” Mark dished out the money and handed it to the man when he was finished.

“Thank you. Like I said, I’ll have more horses in by the end of the week. You can trade Timber in if you want.”

“I won’t be here. We have a long ride ahead of us.” Mark mounted the big bronc and watched him. But the horse trotted out of the livery like a sweet saddlehorse.

They rode to the edge of town and crossed the railroad tracks. Mark eyed the ground and saw some more peanut shells. “Thank you, Evangeline. Hope you keep eating them.”

He tapped Timber’s sides and galloped away from Fort Collins. He prayed that the Lord would lead him to her. He wondered why he still loved her, but he did. He just hoped she wasn’t married to Sam Russell.

Evangeline caught up to Sam. “Slow down. No one is after us.” After she said it, she wondered about Mark. He must hate her about now. She was sorry about that. Even though she couldn’t show it, she had enjoyed seeing the adoration in his eyes.

That a man would love her so fiercely in such a short time with no encouragement from her was amazing. In fact, it so pricked her heart that she found herself thinking about him more than she found comfortable.

She caught up to Sam and grabbed his reins to slow him down. “The horses need a rest. What has happened to you?”

He faced her. His eyes hard at first, but then they softened to the kind looks she remembered. “Things happened. I’ll explain when we’re safe.”

“Yeah, we will. I can’t believe you came up with the idea of a Pinkerton agent.”

She flashed him her badge. “I am a Pinkerton Agent. And right now, my partner will be looking for us.” She paused and stared at the brother she no longer knew. “I don’t want my partner hurt.”

“That depends on him.” He jerked his reins from her. “Follow me. Or don’t. Thanks for getting my neck out of that noose.” He jabbed his buckskin horse and rode west.

She sat in place for a moment, ate a few peanuts, and then followed Sam. Once she sat him down and found out what troubles he was in, she could help him.”

Sam led her on a crooked path but finally stopped at a small creek at the base of some hills. He’d dismounted and was giving his horse a much-needed rest. He watched her as she rode to him.

She stepped off her horse and took a drink from her canteen. “What happened to you, Sam?”

He looked around, reminding her of a trapped, wild animal. “Later. Thanks for telling me that your partner might be following. I wish you had a rifle.”

Her brother’s words sent cold chills through her. “I don’t want Mark hurt.”

“He’s my husband.” She thought if Sam knew she’d married him, he might be less inclined to harm Mark.

“Husband? That’s a surprise. I don’t see a ring?” He grinned at her, but there was no smile in his eyes. Sam walked to her and grabbed the gun from her pocket. “I think it’s better if I have this.”

She reached for it, but he held it out of her grasp. “You don’t need it. I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Sam looked at her as if he’d been slapped. “I’d never hurt you, Sis. I can promise you that.”

“Then you won’t hurt Mark. You’ll come with me so we can clear your name.”

“No. They fed me pretty good in that jail.” He laughed. “My last meal. It won’t be long, and we’ll be at the hideout. I’ll see that they fix you up with a good dinner.” He didn’t wait for her answer and rode across the stream and up the hill.

Sick at heart, Evangeline followed. What had she done but ruined her own future trying to save her brother? She’d believed his letter. Believed him when he said he was innocent. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

Atop the hill, she rested her horse. Sam had gone on. Pushing his horse onward. How had he become so hardened? The brother she knew would never mistreat a horse. She watched the way he was going and let her horse rest and dismounted to let the mare eat some grass. Evangeline dug into her peanut bag.

Looking out across the prairie, she saw the railroad tracks and wondered if Mark was almost in Cheyenne by now. A look back across the land showed a man on horseback far away. What if it was someone following them?

She’d have to keep Sam from knowing. Then again, it could just be a rider taking his time across the prairie. But something about him made her heart race. Somehow, she believed it was Mark coming after her.

But was he coming as a lover looking for his wife, or a Pinkerton agent tracking his prey? Mark had told her he was an expert tracker.

She stuffed her peanut bag back in her pocket, wiped her hands, and mounted her horse. Sam was ahead of her up another hill. She didn’t want him to get out of sight. With a light tap, she reined her horse to go after her brother, wondering if she shouldn’t just turn around and go back to Fort Collins.