“You load that rifle just in case anything happens. I’m going to catch up to them and you can meet us on the trail. If you see anyone coming your way, fire off three rounds and I’ll come running back here as fast as my horses can carry me.”
“Okay,” he said as he handed the box to Jacob so he could load the rifle. Jess spun his horses around and urged Gray into a fast gallop along the trail.
Zachary and Sissy Lenburg were sitting on the seat of the wagon, both with looks of discontent on their faces. Sissy finally leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder and sighed heavily before starting to sob quietly, wiping her tears on his shirt.
“Everything will be all right, sweetheart, you’ll see,” he told her as he put his arm around her in an attempt to comfort her.
“That’s what you said when we lost the store and the same thing you said when we lost the house,” she moaned. “How much more suffering do we need to endure before something good happens?”
“Something good will come along soon.”
“You keep saying that, but it doesn’t happen,” she moaned louder.
“Listen, we just have to keep believing there is good in the world. Eventually some of it will find us. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I know it will eventually happen. As long as we continue to work hard, we’ll prosper, I just feel it in my bones.”
“I hope you’re right,” she told him as she grabbed his arm with both hands now. Zachary stiffened slightly and she felt it. She sat up straight, with a worried look on her face as he reached for his rifle.
“What is it?” she asked anxiously.
“I could swear I heard the beating of hooves,” he said as he hauled back on the reins to stop the horses so he could listen better as he looked all around.
As soon as the wagon came to a halt, he heard the noise behind him. He edged his head around the side of the wagon and saw a man riding fast toward them with a packhorse following him. He motioned for Sissy to get inside the wagon and hide as he racked a shell into his rifle. He got on his knees on the seat and edged around the wagon with the rifle.
“Stop right there or I’ll shoot,” he hollered loudly. Jess brought his horses to a quick stop. Their hooves skidded in the sand.
“I mean you no harm!”
“Yeah, then why are you wearing all them guns?”
“Are you Zachary, the brother of the sheriff back in Wabash?”
“Yeah, how’d you know that?”
“I spoke with him today.”
“He knows who you are?” asked Sissy from inside the wagon.
“I guess so,” he whispered to his wife. “All right, come closer, but don’t be reaching for any of those guns.”
Jess nudged Gray into a walk toward the wagon, keeping his hands slightly up in the air. When he got close to the wagon, he smiled at Zachary. “Where is your wife?” he asked.
“How’d you know I was married?”
“Your brother told me all about your plight and what happened to the two of you back in Wabash.”
“Who are you anyway?”
“My name is Jess Williams.”
“Why are you wearing so many guns?”
“I’m a bounty hunter.”
“Really?”
“I just turned an outlaw over to the sheriff in Brandon and got paid three thousand dollars.”
“That’s a lot of money.”
“I’ve made more.”
“Didn’t I see you in the café?”
“Yeah, I walked by you when you were talking to your brother.”
“I guess you’re not here to rob us of our meager belongings then,” he said as he lowered the rifle.
“No, but I am willing to make you a business proposition.”
“And just what would that be?” asked Sissy as she poked her head up over her husband’s.
“Well, two friends I met recently are heading to Black Creek, Kansas with me for Christmas. They make toys for children and I’m going to help them settle there. Now, your brother told me that you make kids’ clothing and that your husband makes shoes and boots. I’d like to buy everything you have in the wagon and then set you up for work in Black Creek. I can rent you a house and build a new store for you two.”
“And why in tarnation would you do something like that for complete strangers?” queried Zachary suspiciously.
“For one, I want to give all those clothes, boots and shoes to the poorer families living in and around Black Creek; and two, I’m a businessman and have investments there. I’m sure I have a few houses sitting vacant right now. If not, I can have them built quickly.”
“We’re no charity case,” claimed Zachary proudly.
“I’m not talking about charity,” explained Jess. “You’ll pay me for the store and the house over time and at very low monthly payments. And I’m paying you for everything you have in the wagon, except the machines and tools you use.”
“You want to buy everything?” inquired Sissy.
“All of it. Name your price,” he told her. She moved to look in the wagon, making a mental count of everything they had to sell. She poked her head back out.
“I can’t tell for sure. I don’t remember how many things I put into each trunk,” she said.
“Make a guess and double it,” Jess told her.
“Uh…well…maybe…one hundred and fifty dollars or so,” she said in an unsure tone. Jess reached into his pocket and counted out three hundred dollars. He leaned forward and handed the money to Zachary as they heard Woodson and Jacob approaching in the wagon. Zachary handed the money to his wife after staring at it for a few moments.
“I…I…don’t know what to say,” stammered Sissy.
“Say you’ll join us and go to Black Creek,” said Jess, raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders.
“We can afford to pay rent and make payments on a new store now with this much money,” commented Zachary. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’m positive,” he said bluntly.
“Okay, we’ll lead the way then,” agreed Zachary as he sat down in the seat and slapped leather.
The team started moving, with Woodson and Jacob following far enough behind to stay out of the dust. Jess took the lead and they rode until an hour before dusk. They camped in a spot picked out by Jess. Introductions were made, supper was cooked and everyone went to sleep thinking about good things.
CHAPTER FIVE
Mayor Jim Smythe put his hands on his hips and cocked his head to the left. “Tony, move it about a foot that way,” he told him.
Tony spun around and gave him a frustrated look. “The post ain’t gonna look any better there than it does right here.”
“But I don’t think it’s in line with the one across the street.”
Tony looked at the one across the street he had installed yesterday and frowned. “It looks just fine to me.”
“I want it to look perfect when Jess gets here,” said Jim.
Tony grumbled something under his breath as he yanked the post out of the ground with his big hands. “The next time you want to change where a post goes, do it before I dig the hole and bury it.” he said, losing his patience. “Now, exactly where do you want this thing?”
“I already told you, about a foot this way,” Jim said pointing.”
“You got two bits?”
“You volunteered for this job.”
“I’m not talking about gettin’ paid,” groused Tony. “Put the quarter on the boardwalk exactly where you want the post.”
“Do you have to be so fussy about it?”
“Jim, I mean Mayor, I’ve been digging and putting these posts in for two days now and I’m gettin’ plumb tuckered out, especially when you keep asking me to move them once they’re buried. So if you want it moved, place a quarter on the boardwalk where you want it, because I’m not pulling any more of them out.”
Jim removed a quarter from his pocket and set it on the boardwalk. Sara Smythe came walking along the
boardwalk carrying bags of things she had purchased. She looked at Tony holding onto the post, while kicking dirt back into the hole.
“Tony, what are you doing?” she asked.
He looked up at her and forced his best smile through clenched teeth. “I’m burying these lamp posts…twice,” he answered as he shot a look at the mayor.
“Well, the spot you had it in was just fine,” she told him.
“Tell that to the mayor,” said Tony as he put the post down and started digging another hole right where the quarter was.
“Jim, why don’t you let Tony take care of this and you go on back to the store,” she told him with an unyielding look on her face. Jim rolled his eyes in the back of his head and waved his hands around.
“Fine, but don’t complain to me when they don’t line up with the ones across the street,” he carped as he headed along the boardwalk toward the general store.
Tony let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mrs. Mayor,” said Tony.
“Don’t call me that. Just call me Sara,” she told him as she walked away.
Tony looked up at the sun and then down the street, calculating how many more posts he’d have to bury to make it to the end. Mayor Smythe had convinced him to put the posts up so they could have oil lamps on them before Jess came to Black Creek for Christmas. He wanted Main Street lit up so everyone could see. One of the four newest residents in town walked along the boardwalk, his nose stuck in a book as he did. The large man tripped on a raised board and almost fell on his face. He stumbled, righting himself, but he dropped the book, which slid along the boardwalk until it stopped right next to Tony. He picked it up. It was a dime novel about Jess. Tony smiled at it as he handed it back to the man.
“Homer, how many times are you gonna read that same book?”
Homer took it and smiled, which made the scar running down the side of his face wrinkle up. He was a big man who could wrestle a bear and win. Some of the townsfolk had been afraid of him at first until they realized how gentle a man he was.
“I’ve read this dime novel a dozen times already,” replied Homer after he got his wits about him. “I’ve read every one of them written about Jess Williams.”
“Don’t believe everything you read in those.”
“Why? You don’t think they’re correct?”
“Oh yeah, but they don’t know half of what he’s done,” chuckled Tony.
“So, is he really coming here?”
“I sure hope so. Otherwise I’ve dug holes for two days for nothing.”
“My brothers are going to be so happy to finally meet him.”
“Where are those three anyway?”
“Well, Don is over at the reading room the mayor donated to us setting up shelves for the collection of books we have,” he explained. “I think Roy is helping him. Those two stick together most of the time. Russ is probably trying to order some more books, but he’s so cheap, they keep throwing him out of the store. He wants everything for nothing.”
“Well, I gotta get back to digging holes. I hope I get them finished before the mayor comes back and starts giving orders again,” said Tony as he picked up his shovel.
“All right then,” said Homer as he turned to leave.
“And watch where you’re walking or you’ll find yourself falling off the boardwalk next time,” Tony told him. Homer stuck his nose in the book again and started walking slowly. About ten seconds later Tony heard a thump followed by a loud grunt. He turned to see Homer on the ground looking around for his book.
“I’m okay,” he told Tony as he got up, dusted himself off and continued walking along the street.
“That boy is goin’ to get himself run over by a horse next,” Tony muttered as he watched Homer disappear around a corner.
***
Jess found a camp about six hours away from Black Creek. He had wanted to make it all the way, but the Lenburgs’ wagon only had two horses pulling it and it was slow going. Sissy cooked supper while Jess and Woodson took care of the horses. Jacob came running back into the camp with Blacky alongside him. His arms were full of dead branches for the fire.
“Just in time for supper, Jacob,” she told him. Blacky leaned his head forward and sniffed the aroma coming from the two skillets. Sissy smiled at the dog and shook the spoon.
“You’ll have to wait until we eat,” she told him. He shook his head, ran to one of the wagons and lay down, watching everybody. Jess walked to the fire and poured himself a cup of coffee. He shuddered from the cold, wrapping his hands around the hot cup. Sissy smiled at him and stood up.
“I have something for you,” she told him as she walked to her wagon. When she returned, she had a heavy wool coat and a pair of thin leather gloves. “These will keep you warmer than that thin jacket you’re wearing.”
“Thank you, Sissy,” he said as he changed from his jacket to the heavy coat.
“Don’t thank me. You paid for it.”
“I guess I did, didn’t I?”
“I would have given you heavier gloves, but I know you need to keep your hands available for all those guns you’re wearing.”
He stuffed the gloves into the pockets on the coat and raised the collar around the back of his neck. Everyone produced a plate, scooped some food out and began eating. Zachary sat next to his wife. He dropped his spoon on the plate and looked up at Jess.
“So, what’s so special about Black Creek?” he asked.
Jess finished chewing before answering. “The town is full of nice people and many of them are good friends of mine,” he explained. “Jim Smythe is the mayor and he and his wife, Sara, took care of me after my parents were murdered. I have a lot of investments in Black Creek, houses, businesses, things like that.”
“So, you have a lot of money?” asked Zachary. Sissy elbowed him.
“You don’t ask someone that,” she scolded him. Jess took a sip of his coffee.
“That’s quite all right,” he said. “I don’t know exactly how much money I have now. I keep getting deposits all the time from people who’ve borrowed money for a house or to build a new business and my banker, Mr. Jameson, handles all the paperwork. He’ll take care of lending you the money you need to buy a building in town or build a new one for your business.”
Woodson looked up from his food. “Maybe we could build one big enough for both of our businesses,” he suggested.
“That’s a wonderful idea,” agreed Sissy. “The more items we have to sell, the better for the both of us.”
“You said this was supposed to be some special Christmas in Black Creek?” queried Woodson.
“That’s what the message I got from Mayor Smythe said,” he replied. “I’m not sure what they’re planning, but when we get there, we’re going to have plenty of gifts for everyone, especially for the kids who don’t have much to look forward to.”
“I think it’s a nice thing you’re doing for the children,” said Sissy.
“I just wish it weren’t so cold,” he said as he pulled the coat tighter around him.
After everyone finished eating, Jacob took what was left and spooned it onto a plate for Blacky. He walked over to him and the dog barked with excitement, his tail wagging wildly. Jacob put the plate down and Blacky swiftly disposed of it, licking the plate clean as it slid around on the ground. Sissy got out some extra blankets and handed them out. They all went to sleep, wondering what they would find in Black Creek when they arrived.
CHAPTER SIX
Mayor Smythe was helping Sara decorate the pine tree they’d put up in the large meeting room at the town offices. He was on a stool, hanging strings of popcorn and tying bows and ribbons to it. Sara was working on the bottom half of the tree. She had tied well over a hundred candy sticks to it already. Jim got down from his stool and looked over at Don, who was hanging some small round bells that were connected by string. He walked over as he finished and used his hand to brush the half dozen strings of bells. They jingled merrily and Jim smiled.
&nb
sp; “Nice work, Don,” he said. “Where did you come up with the idea of stringing them?”
“I don’t really know,” he said. “I was moving them around in the box and they started jingling, so I decided to string them together.”
“So, how’s that reading room working out for you?”
“Just wonderful. Do you want to see what we’ve done with it?”
“Sure, I need a break anyway.”
Sara shot him a look. “Ten minutes and then you get back here and help me finish the tree,” she told him.
“Yes, dear,” he said softly as he followed Don into the small office on one side of the large meeting room.
Roy was sitting in a chair reading. Homer was removing books from a small box and placing them on the shelves. He was lining up all the dime novels written about Jess in a row on one shelf. He turned to Don and the mayor.
“Thank you again for the reading room, Mayor,” said Homer. “Most of these books are from our collection we brought with us and some are from people in the town who donated them.”
Roy looked up from his book. “Now the townsfolk can come in here, borrow a book to read and return it so someone else can read it,” announced Roy as his brother Russ walked in. He had a frustrated look on his face.
“What’s that look for Russ?” asked Roy.
“I tried to buy five more dime novels at the small general store in town, but he wouldn’t take my offer,” he said as he plopped down in a chair.
“What did you offer him?”
“Two bits.”
“There’s a reason they call them dime novels, Russ,” exclaimed Homer.
“Well, I’m not paying full price, especially when it’s for the reading room,” carped Russ. The other three brothers all moaned and shook their heads at him.
“So, what was the clerk’s final offer?” Don asked.
“He said because it was for the reading room at the town hall, he’d let me have them for forty cents.” Don pulled out some change and handed Russ fifteen cents.
“There, now go and buy the five books so we can add them to our collection,” said Don. Russ took the change and walked back out, heading for the small general store in town.
A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: Forty-Sixth in a Series of Jess Williams Westerns (A Jess Williams Western Book 46) Page 3