Four

 

The day’s shadows had begun to grow long as daylight waned. Morgan and Anna Lee rode silently across the prairie. He understood what had brought on her crazy act in the saloon. He had seen it before in battle when a soldier would act quickly and irrationally as wild impulses of suppressed grief or anger suddenly exploded through him. Sometimes such situations resulted in acts of supreme courage, other times they brought about the death of the excited soldier after a period of savage fighting.

It had been the same for Anna Lee as her pent-up grief burst forth in the form of uncontrollable rage when she’d spotted the killer. But the girl still had to be controlled or she’d make a dangerous situation even worse.

Morgan glanced over at her. “Care for a home-cooked meal?”

“Oh,” she said. “I’m surprised you’re talking to me. I figured you’d stay mad at me forever.”

A flash of temper whipped through Morgan’s mood. “Like I told you, Missy Texas Lady! You can’t learn nothing from a dead man.”

She looked at him displaying a smirk. “Well, Mr. Smarty-Pants, what was you gonna do? Just waltz up to him with a howdy-do and say: ‘Excuse me, please, I know you killed my brother and that girl's pa and uncle. By the way, would you be so kind as to tell me where the rest of your pals are before we shoot you full o’ holes?’ “

“You’re getting into something you don’t know nothing about,” Morgan snapped. “From now on you do exactly as I tell you.”

Anna Lee sensed the angry determination in his voice.

“And don’t do nothing without asking me,” he added.

“What if some jasper’s about to shoot you in the back?” she asked. “Do you want me to ask you before I plug him?”

Morgan shook his head. “It’s better not to talk to you at all.”

“It’s definitely better for me,” she said. Her mood changed. “Anyhow, did you ask about a home-cooked meal?”

“There’s a farm over yonder,” Morgan said. “See the house? I’ll bet the folks there’d share their supper table for about two bits.”

“I don’t have any money,” Anna Lee said.

“Don’t worry about it,” Morgan said.

“Then I reckon it’s worth a try,” Anna Lee said. “I’m getting tired o’ beans and them awful biscuits.”

“Me too,” Morgan said. “Pretty soon we can take time to scare up some game. A rabbit stew’d go good.”

“In the meantime I’ll settle for a farmwife’s cooking,” Anna Lee said.

A short ride later the two came to a halt in front of the house. An old man sat on the porch sharpening a scythe. He was thin and bony with an unpleasant frowning face. The farmer kept at his task as he looked at them with frank curiosity. “Howdy.”

“Howdy, Mister,” Morgan said. “Me and my—”

“I’m his wife,” Anna Lee interrupted.

Morgan whipped his head around and stared at her with a surprised frown. Then he looked back at the man with a weak smile. “Uh, yeah. Me and my wife was wondering if we might pay for a meal with you.”

The farmer stared at Anna Lee. “My eyes ain’t what they used to be.” He looked some more. “I reckon you’re a gal at that.”

“She sure is,” Morgan said. “She dresses this way for the trail. Anyhow, we’re inter’sted in buying a meal from you. I got two bits, Yankee coin.”

“Why, sure,” the man said.

A feminine voice from inside the house hollered, “We won’t accept no money to feed folks.” A portly old lady stepped out. “We’d be proud to share our table with you.”

The oldster glared at her. “They was offering cash money Molly.”

“It ain’t Christian to charge traveling folks,” she said. She smiled at Anna Lee. “I’m Molly Dean and this is my husband Tobias.”

“Howdy,” Anna Lee said. “I’m Anna Lee Pickett—I mean Barlow—and this here’s my husband Morgan.”

“Howdy,” Morgan said.

The woman was a physical and temperamental opposite of her husband. Rosy-cheeked and cheerful, her eyes danced with good humor. “You two light down now, hear?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Morgan said as he and Anna Lee dismounted. “If you won’t take my money, how about my labor? I’d be proud to cut some wood or tend to some other chores that need attention.”

“Sure!” Tobias Dean interrupted. “There’s a woodpile at the back o’ the house with some logs that need to be turned to kindling. You’ll find an ax and a hatchet back there too.”

“I’m on my way,” Morgan said.

Molly took Anna Lee’s arm. “You come on in the house with me, sweetie. I don’t get much chance to talk with womenfolk.”

Morgan glanced over his shoulder as he walked away to tend to the woodcutting. “Anna Lee, why don’t you take off that hat so’s you’ll look more like a woman.”

“Why I’ll just do that,” Anna Lee said. “As soon as I get in the house. You surely know how I like to be the lady.”

Morgan went around the house and found the woodpile with the tools as the old man had described. He took the ax first and went to work on some of the larger logs. He worked with a steady rhythm, the ax rising and falling with an almost military precision. Chips flew as several of the large pieces were chopped into more manageable sizes. This was the sort of work that gave Morgan Barlow a short period of peace. His mind almost went blank as the simple, repetitive job took away the need for concentration. His memory blanked out and he was hardly aware of his surroundings as he continued the chore until it was time to turn the hunks of wood into kindling.

Now Morgan used the hatchet, splitting the logs into pieces for easier burning. His thoughts had sunk away, and he was lost to the world, working in a haze of concentration. Only some sort of instinct kept muscles and nerves working through the constant regularity of chopping wood.

“Morgan!”

He stopped and looked up. Anna Lee stood at the back door. Morgan wiped the sweat off his face. “What?”

“I called you three times,” she said. “Are you deaf?”

“I wish I was,” he said.

“I’ll bet!” she said. “Well, supper’s ready. You come on in now.”

He went over to the trough and splashed some water on his face before going into the house. He found the other three already seated at the table. He noticed how feminine Anna Lee looked with her hat off. Her hair was drawn back into a bun, making the girl look almost dainty. Morgan dropped his own hat by the door and joined the people. Ham, biscuits, and greens were set out.

“Tobias, say grace,” Molly said.

The farmer bowed his head. “For what we’re about to receive, we thank thee, Lord. Amen. Pass the ham.”

The meal started out with Molly chattering happily. “We don’t get much company, y’know. Our young ’uns has growed and gone, and we’re about ready to sell out what little we got here and move up to Abilene.” She passed the biscuits. “Our middle boy has a store there.”

“What kind o’ store, Molly?” Anna Lee asked, taking a spoonful of greens.

“It’s a gen’ral store,” Molly said. “He’s done right well with hisself, that’s for sure.” She looked at Morgan. “What kinda business are you in, Mr. Barlow?”

“Cattle,” Morgan answered.

“At least ’til they was rustled,” Anna Lee said.

“Are you looking for ’em?” Tobias Dean asked.

“What makes you ask that?” Morgan inquired.

“You got a riled, restless look about you, mister,” Tobias said.

“Well, you’re right,” Morgan said looking straight at the old man. “We trailed ’em along a track about a mile from here. Didn’t you see or hear ’em?” Molly looked at him. “Landsakes, yes! Why it weren’t no more’n three or four days ago.”

Morgan asked, “Did you see ’em? Was they a small herd? How many drovers was with ’em?”

“We didn’t see shit,” Tobias said.

“Tobias Dean!” Molly exclaimed. “And at the table no more’n ten minutes after you said grace.” Tobias ignored her, glaring at Morgan. “We didn’t see shit,” he repeated. “So there ain’t no sense in asking us questions.”

Morgan felt a rise of suspicion. “Whoever they was, they traveled through here free and easy like they knowed the place.”

“I don’t stick my nose in nobody else’s business,” Tobias said.

“It was prob’ly Zach Medford and his bunch,” Molly said.

“Who’s Zach Medford?” Morgan asked.

“Yeah,” Anna Lee said. “Who is he, Molly?”

“Molly!” Tobias said.

Now it was Molly’s turn to do the ignoring. “He’s original from around here. Fact is, his parents still live about ten miles to the south.”

“People ought to mind their own business,” Tobias said.

“Mr. Medford is a preacher man when he ain’t farming,” Molly continued. “But their boy Zach was always bad. I didn’t like my own kids hanging around with him. Zach was always in trouble over something.” She took a bite out of a biscuit. “But he comes to visit his folks now and again. I reckon that’s why he drove them cattle past this way.”

Tobias waved his fork at his wife. “Old woman, you don’t know if that was Zach or not. It could’ve been somebody else.”

“I suppose,” Molly conceded. But she quickly added, “But I reckon it was him alright.”

“I might go visit the Medfords,” Morgan said.

“You won’t reach the place before dark at this hour,” Molly said. “Why don’t you two spend the night? If you been trailing after them stole cattle, you prob’ly ain’t had a roof over your heads for a good bit.”

“That’s the truth,” Anna Lee allowed.

“We can bunk downright nice here by the table,” Morgan said.

“We got a loft up there,” Molly said pointing toward the ceiling. “Our young ’uns used to sleep there. I still got a feather bed and you’re welcome to use it.”

Morgan spoke up. “I don’t think—”

“Don’t be silly, Mr. Barlow,” Molly said. “It’s a nice clean bed.”

Morgan could see that to refuse would be considered an insult. “We thank you kindly.”

Tobias spoke in a grudging tone. “After supper you can stable your horses in the barn.”

The meal went on with small talk, but every time Molly tried to bring up the subject of Zach Medford or his family, Tobias’s objections to the subject grew stronger. After awhile, she didn’t discuss the outlaw or his kin at all.

When supper was finished, Morgan went outside to tend to the horses while Anna Lee helped Molly clean up. Tobias followed after Morgan to the barn which wasn’t much more than an oversized lean-to. “Let me tell you something, Barlow,” Tobias said as he watched Morgan unsaddle the horses. “If you’re smart you’ll forget them cattle and Zach Medford.”

“Maybe I ain’t smart,” Morgan said.

“He’s plumb mean through and through,” Tobias said. “Even as a boy, folks hereabouts was leery of him.” He hesitated a moment. “I didn’t want my old woman talking about him, ’cause he always said if anybody ever told on him, he’d kill ’em.”

“Don’t worry,” Morgan said tethering his horse to the rail inside the barn. “I won’t tell nobody we know you and Molly.”

“I’d be obliged to you for that,” Tobias said sincerely. “Zach comes back here a lot.”

Morgan felt he owed the old farmer a further explanation. “Zach Medford and his boys did more’n steal my cattle,” he said. “They killed my brother too. And Anna Lee’s pa and uncle.”

“I told you he’s a mean’un,” Tobias said.

“I’m going after him,” Morgan said.

“If you do, I don’t think you’ll be back,” Tobias said bluntly.

“You might be right.”

They walked back to the house and settled down around the table while Anna Lee and Molly finished up their work. What was left of the evening drifted into more pleasant conversation. Anna Lee had to think fast a couple of times when Molly made references to Morgan as her husband, but she did fine, although even the usually dour Morgan had to smile at the girl’s discomfiture a couple of times.

Tobias remained silent, watching Molly in case she brought up the subject of Zach Medford. But her good humor made her talk more about the lighter side of life than of killer outlaws.

Finally, when darkness had settled down good and hard over the prairie, it was time to retire. Using a lantern, Anna Lee led the way up to the loft with Morgan following. When they got up there, both stared at the single bed. Sleeping under their own blankets out on the trail was one thing, but getting into the same bed was something altogether different.

“How come you told ’em we was married?” Morgan hissed.

“On account o’ I’m a lady,” Anna Lee said. “I didn’t want ’em to think I was just traipsing around the country with you.”

“You are traipsing around the country with me,” Morgan said. “And we ain’t done nothing wrong. We been sleeping on the opposite sides o’ the campfire like you want.”

“It’s the appearance o’ things that counts,” Anna Lee said. She sat the lantern down. “Anyhow, you can sleep on the floor over there on the other side.”

“On what? All my blankets and gear is downstairs,” Morgan said.

“Then I’ll sleep under the covers and you sleep on top of ’em,” Anna Lee said.

Morgan took a deep breath. “You know something—I’m beginning think that meeting up with Zach Medford is gonna be the easiest part o’ this whole trip.”

Anna Lee looked at him hard. “If you try to get under them covers with me, it will be. I promise you that!”