“Who did this to you?”
Four outlaws, I got one.”
“Yeah, I can see. I’m Eli Darcy.”
“Find Daisy. Find Daisy, please.” His voice faded. Eli pulled a flask of whisky from his waistcoat pocket and held it to the dying man’s lips to revive him enough to speak. “Who’s Daisy?”
“Daughter. Hiding behind rocks. My wife?”
“I’m sorry, she’s dead.”
Tears ran down the man’s ashen cheeks. “Was she….” His face contorted.
“No, it would have been quick,” Eli lied. “A bullet through the heart by the looks.”
“Find Daisy.”
“I will.”
“And Raggy. Say Raggy, and she’ll know you’re a friend.”
“Raggy?” It couldn’t be long now, the blood was flowing from his wounds and coloring the ground red.
“Rag doll.”
“What’s your name?”
The man gave a soft, shuddering sigh and died. Eli closed his eyes and stood. Why the hell would a wagon be out here in the canyon country? Probably got lost or were chased in here. Why not just take the horses? This was senseless brutality, but that’s the evil way the Dangerfield gang operated. Why they were so feared. They were so vicious and merciless they had to be loco.
I might be a gunslinger and a bounty hunter, but I don’t believe in cold-blooded murder. He glanced around. Where would a child hide? A rocky outcrop with several scraggy bushes caught his eye. A frightened child would probably run there he surmised. If he was a youngster, that’s where he would have chosen to hide.
He strode toward it. “Daisy. Daisy.” A strange silence settled over the area. His boots crunching on the pebble strewn ground sounded loud. No answer.
“Your Pa sent me. Come on Daisy, I won’t hurt you or Raggy.”
A blonde head popped up from behind the rocks. “Come on, little darlin’, don’t be afraid. Your Pa asked me to find you.”
As the child stood up, shock surged through him. It was a little gal. By his reckoning, and he knew nothing about children, she’d be about three or four years old. Not much more than a babe. Now what the hell was he supposed to do? Not leave her to perish out here that was for sure. Where could he take her? He couldn’t think of any women who would take her in.
The child trembled from head to toe and tears formed in her pale blue eyes. She clung to a rag doll. Ah, Raggy, appropriate, the mother must have sewn it for her.
“Howdy Daisy.” The child kept staring at him. “Howdy Raggy. I’m Eli.” He stepped closer. Move away from the cactus, they’ve got sharp thorns. She was wearing a faded blue dress and her black boots were dusty and worn. He wondered why he noticed that. She was frightened and wary, and he understood her fear.
“Come on, little darlin’, you can mind my horse Devil. He likes little gals.” He had to do something with the child. In the name of humanity, he couldn’t let her see the carnage near the wagon. Giving a loud whistle, he waited for Dev to trot over to him, tossing his head as if to say. I’m coming. What do you want? You’ve interrupted my grazing. Well, the pickings around here would have been slim anyway.
The child edged forward. Dev, sensing an appreciative audience, gave a soft whicker, bent his legs and lowered his head in what Eli always reckoned was a bow. He reached out and took the child’s hand and she didn’t pull away. “This vain critter is Devil, but you can call him Dev like I do. You can pat him on the belly, but don’t get near his back legs.” He grabbed the horse’s reins and maneuvered him so the child could not see what he felt compelled to do. He couldn’t leave her parents’ bodies to be ravaged by buzzards. Lew’s body could stay there until it rotted, he didn’t care what happened to it.
“Stay, Dev,” he instructed. “Don’t let that little gal see what I’ve got to do.”
All he could offer this unfortunate couple was to drag them off the track and under an overhang of rock and pile stones on them. It wasn’t much, but was the best he could do without any tools.
The fire had now burned down to a bed of glowing embers, making the blackened skeleton that had once been the top of the wagon look even more grotesque. The woman was naked, he couldn’t leave her like that. He strode over to the man and feeling sick to his gut, carefully removed his shirt. A bare chested man didn’t seem so bad, but a woman?
Chapter Eight
Eli was sweating like a pig by the time he had lugged the bodies over to a overhang of rock. It was low to the ground, enabling him to make a tomb by building up the rocks to make a wall, enclosing the front and side. He didn’t say any prayers because he didn’t know any.
In the meantime, Devil laid down on the ground with Daisy stretched out against his belly.
Once he finished the gruesome task, he glanced around to see if there was anything useful he could salvage. Everything in the wagon was burnt. Tarnation, those flames must have been fierce.
While Daisy slept, he sat with his back against a bolder trying to decide what to do for the best. It was too far to return to Bakerville, unless he had Alfred Montague in tow, and as he didn’t, and had in fact lost her trail, he would head through Black Mountain Pass and ride on until he found the little town of Kaiser’s Ford. Only a dot on the map really, but it was a friendly little place with a white German Lutheran church. He had met Pastor Heinrich and his wife Gerda on a couple of occasions, decent Christian people like them would be perfect for Daisy.
He didn’t know why he felt a responsibility to the child. She was a pretty little gal, but a man on his own, who wasn’t blood kin, couldn’t keep her. It wouldn’t be right. He didn’t have a wife, and things looked bleak on that front at the moment.
If he could catch this Alfreda woman and collect the reward, he might be able to get himself a decent wife. No respectable woman would want to cast her lot in with a saddle tramp like him.
Finally, he roused himself. Time to leave this place. A couple hours ride and he should be able to find somewhere to bed down for the night. He strode over to Dev who had lain still so the child might rest. Eli bent down and picked the child up and her head fell against his shoulder. Dev got to his feet and shook himself a couple of times.
“Thanks, pardner, I didn’t want this little gal to see what I just had to do.”
He sat Daisy on Dev and swung up behind her. She slumped again him, her blonde hair spreading out over his chest. He suddenly noted she wore a bonnet, the ties were around her neck letting the bonnet dangle down her back. He pulled it up. She needed some kind of head covering or the sun would soon burn her pale skin.
He held the reins in one hand and kept the other around her as he kneed Dev into a trot. He didn’t wear spurs, didn’t need to as the gelding was responsive to his knees or heels.
“I’ve worked out a plan, Dev, my boy. We’ll take this little gal to Pastor Heinrich and Gerda.” It was a fair distance away from where he thought Alfreda Montague would be heading. She’d probably make for the Badlands to join up with her fellow outlaws. Or being a woman, maybe she wouldn’t. Truth be known, he didn’t have a clue where she had gone. Five hundred dollars gone because of the murdering Dangerfields. Not trying to do his best for Daisy would make him as unprincipled as them, and he couldn’t live with himself. Maybe he could collect the reward for the Dangerfields. Five hundred dollars a head would be fifteen hundred dollars if he could bring them all in. He could have collected on Lew, would have, if it hadn’t been for Daisy.
Once he dropped the child off at Kaiser’s Ford, he could still commence his search for Alfreda Montague or the Dangerfields. Both would be good. Sonofabitch man, don’t be greedy. If he back-tracked he would surely pick up her trail even after all this time because her horse looked to have a slight foot drop. It left a clear enough sign when it wasn’t mixed up with other horses.
Daisy started to wriggle in his arms. “You’re awake, little darlin’.” She didn’t answer, in fact he hadn’t heard her speak a word.
“Daisy, wou
ld you like a drink?”
She nodded. Had the child been struck dumb? He was beginning to feel more helpless with every passing minute. Had shock robbed her of speech? Or had she been born mute? There was nothing wrong with her hearing though, so he hoped it was the former rather than the latter.
He unhooked the canteen, unscrewed the top and held it to her lips. “Not too quickly or you’ll make yourself ill.” After she finished drinking, he held the canteen to his own lips and took a few swallows. That was all he allowed himself in case he couldn’t find water tonight.
Dusk was falling by the time he found a suitable place to stop for the night. The area was flat with patches of dried grass and a few drab looking bushes. There was a tumbledown building with a collapsed chimney.
He dismounted and stood Daisy on the ground and she clutched his leg. “Stay with Dev, I want to take a look around, fine us a good spot to spend the night.
He disentangled her arms. It was a strange feeling having someone dependant on him. Had she been a boy, it might have been possible to keep him, but not a little gal.
In parts, the grass was knee high although dry. At the back of the ruin was an old water tank. Would it be empty? Checking that the timber hadn’t rotted, he carefully climbed up and peered in. It was about a quarter filled. A bucket hung on a rusty chain. He unhooked the chain and let the bucket drop down into the water, then pulled it up. Dipping his fingers into it he discovered the water was tepid. Climbing down with the bucket, he placed it on the ground and filled his cupped hand. It looked clean enough. Dubiously he took a sip, tasted all right, too.
He could boil it to make coffee, and Dev wouldn’t drink it if there was something wrong with it.
How long was it since someone had lived here? What had happened to them? Had they walked off their land in despair or had they been driven away. No way to tell, still, it was a good find for him and Daisy.
He strode back to the other two. The child hadn’t moved so much as an inch from where he had placed her, Dev was quietly grazing. His heart turned over when she smiled and reached out for him.
“I found us a good place, little darlin’. Come on and we’ll get set up before it gets too dark. You too, Dev.” He clicked his tongue and the horse followed behind them. This was one smart horse he owned.
Eli quickly had a fire going and the coffee on. One of the luxuries he allowed himself on the trail was a coffee pot. It wasn’t large, but sizeable enough to squeeze out two or three cups. He enjoyed it steaming hot, although he could tolerate it warm. It would have to be beans and a stick of jerky as he didn’t have anything else. Daisy could drink from his canteen, he could hardly offer her coffee, which was all he had.
As the sun dipped on the horizon, the air freshened. A slight breeze had sprung up, but it wasn’t cold. He unsaddled Dev and gave him a drink plus a few handfuls of oats. There was enough grass around for him to feed on.
He warmed the beans up and they ate off the one plate. Daisy only ate about a quarter of it, so he finished it off. She declined the jerky enabling him to eat that as well. What he wouldn’t give for a nice, fat, juicy beef steak.
Sleeping arrangements. She could have his bedroll and he’d sleep on the ground. It didn’t trouble him too much as he’d done it plenty of times before.
Daisy started tugging at his leg. “What is it?” She didn’t speak, just kept tugging at his leg. Once she crossed her legs he realized she wanted to relieve herself. Damnation, what was he to do now?
He led her over to a bush. “Go there, I’ll stand close by, I promise not to peek.” He hadn’t thought of stuff like this. He’d relieve himself later when she was asleep. Could she attend to her own needs? He broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about what she might want help with.
Thankfully, she bobbed up from behind the bush and stepped over to him. “All done?”
She nodded her head. “How about we turn in and try to get some sleep? We have to be up and about early tomorrow.”
She made no reply, but trotted along behind him as he walked over to his saddle and retrieved his bedroll. Dev was grazing a few yards away. “Here, you have my bedroll and I’ll have my saddle.”
She lay down and he handed over Raggy and covered them both with a blanket. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep, poor little gal must be exhausted. Keeping her in his line of vision he stepped away to relieve himself, then he poured himself out the last cup of coffee and with his back pressed up against an old porch post, sipped thoughtfully.
After he saw Pastor Heinrich and made sure Daisy had settled in with them, a couple of days at most, he could start up his search for Alfreda Montague and still collect the reward. Why he had to have her back in Bakerville within six weeks he had no idea. Surely a couple of extra weeks wouldn’t hurt. They probably put on a time limit so he would be quick about it.
Eli had just closed his eyes and was drifting into sleep when a scream rent the air. “Holy hell.” He jack-knifed into a sitting position. Daisy.
“What is it?” He leapt to his feet. The child sobbed uncontrollably now. He reached down and picked her up. “Don’t cry. Nothing will hurt you, I won’t let it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck so tightly he feared he might be strangled.
“Here, you cuddle Raggy, see, you gave her a fright, too.”
She almost had him in a death grip. “Come on, lie down and sleep. Do you want a drink of water?” What was he going to do? Maybe she needed the comfort of bodily contact, another warm human to make her feel safe. Sounded reasonable. “I’ll hold you while we sleep.”
She was giving little choking sobs. Had she seen more of her parents’ death than he thought she had? Could those evil varmints have done something to her? Her clothes had been dusty but didn’t look as if they’d been disturbed in any way.
He placed her on the bedroll and lay down beside her. Taking her cold little hands in his he rubbed them to bring back the warmth. “Now you go to sleep, little darlin’. Dev’s on guard and between the two of us no-one will hurt you.” She turned her face into his chest and sobbed softly. He rubbed her back because he couldn’t think what else to do. He’d seen a woman in the bank do that to her baby when it started screaming for no reason. It worked, too.
“You’re safe with me and you’ll be safe with Pastor Heinrich and Gerda, too.” It had been about three years since he’d last seen them, but they wouldn’t have changed, he’d stake his life on it. Daisy’s sobbing was subsiding as were the tremors racking her small body. Once I take Alfred Montague in, I’ll make it my life’s work to find the Dangerfields and make them pay with their lives. I’d gladly do it for free.
****
Next morning when Eli woke up he blinked several times. Daisy was curled up in his arms sucking her thumb, her usually pale cheeks pink from the heat of his body. What a pretty child she was. Once she was cleaned up she would look like one of those cherub angel figures he had seen in a religious painting somewhere on his travels.
He didn’t move for a time in case he disturbed her. She needed to sleep, but he needed to be up and going. I’ll give her a few minutes more he thought, then I’ll risk getting up. The fire had burned down to a bed of glowing embers. After the night he had had, he was desperate for a cup of coffee. It would have to be beans for breakfast. If they passed anywhere near a town he would have to buy a few supplies as he couldn’t risk leaving Daisy alone while he went off hunting.
Carefully, he eased himself away from her and she didn’t stir. He stepped away then found wood to build the fire up again. The cabin had completely collapsed, probably plenty of timber close at hand. If he hadn’t been running so low on provisions he wouldn’t be in such a desperate rush.
While the coffee heated, he attended Dev’s needs and saddled him up ready to go. “Well, pardner, we survived our first night on the trail with this little gal.” It gave him hope that he could look after her until he got to Kaiser’s Ford.
Eli started when Daisy grabbed his le
g. “What is it?” She turned her head and stared at the bush where she had relieved herself last night. “Oh, you need to go.”
She nodded. “Here, give Raggy to me.” He gave a low chuckle. “She’s lucky she doesn’t need to go like us.” The comment caused Daisy to smile. “Can’t you talk to me, now you know I’m your friend?”
She shook her head, turned and hurried over to the bush. “Well, Raggy, what should we do?” Black button eyes stared blankly at him. A man must be loco talking to a doll. Would seeing a doctor help Daisy? The Heinrich’s would know what was necessary for her welfare. He didn’t doubt it for a moment, otherwise he wouldn’t be riding miles out of his way to see them.
As Daisy wandered back he idly noticed her dress was creased and her hair was scraggly and grubby looking. Dust mixed with perspiration and tears had left dirty streaks on her face. He poured water from the bucket on to his spare bandana to moisten it. “Come here, I’ll try to clean you up.”
She came to him so trustingly it nearly broke his heart to think he had to give her up. He gently wiped her face and hands. “I bet that makes you feel better.”
She nodded and touched his face. He scrubbed at his face and she smiled. “Now we’re both clean. Lucky you don’t have to shave.”
Her fingers touched his stubble. “I’m not shaving for you, little gal, not out here even if I do carry a razor.” He grinned at her and she patted his cheek.
After they shared a can of beans and he had two coffees, they mounted up and rode off.
Chapter Nine
Sonofabitch, two weeks wasted. Eli couldn’t believe Pastor Heinrich and Gerda were no longer living in Kaiser’s Ford, instead they had moved closer to Austin to start up a new community, and it was less than a hundred miles away from where Daisy’s parents had been massacred.
Thankfully, he was only three days ride away from them if he headed across country. It was going to be hard leaving Daisy behind, he had grown real fond of her. He racked his brains trying to find a solution, but couldn’t come up with anything else other than leaving her with the Heinrichs.
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