by Robyn Corum
“You don’t know the half of it.” Mindy puffed at the hair falling down over her eyes.
The man reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a leather wallet. He fumbled inside and then drew out a picture. “Here.” He handed over a daguerreotype of a stunning woman with upswept brown hair.
“Who is this?” Mindy asked. She couldn’t help but admire the lovely woman in the photo. “Why would I take a picture in trust for my bag?”
“It’s my wife. It’s the only picture I have of her.”
Chapter Four
Catching up to the rest of the men, they continued their journey. They walked and walked and walked. They walked up one steep hill and down the next. They walked around sharp, rocky bends. They walked until Mindy thought they would surely walk off the face of the earth — all the while following rugged stage tracks scarred into brown clay.
A vicious sun cared not one whit for their plight and shone brighter than Mindy could ever remember it shining before. The glare hit rocks on the ground and the walls that surrounded them and then burst upwards in spiteful rays of blinding light. The heat was oppressive, pushing down as they walked, so that Mindy felt she not only carried her own weight but the weight of the universe. Gnats swarmed her head and flew into her nose; they raced into her mouth if she dared to open it to speak or breathe.
The party trudged along in silence. Mindy lost her footing, slipped and fell, cut her hands against the piercing stones, and bit her lips to keep from crying out. She wore shoes for traveling, but not this kind.
Mindy’s mind wandered. Her thoughts were of home: soft, leafy grass, tall, cool oak trees, and glistening glasses of hand-squeezed lemonade with tiny ice chips. She would have gladly given all the money in her pouch for one sip of that sweet, refreshing liquid. If she listened closely, she could faintly hear her mother calling from the back porch of a familiar weathered house: “Min-DEE!”
How remarkable it was she had dreaded hearing that voice at the time. It had meant putting down the pleasures of play and coming into a shadowy environment where lunch waited. A cool lunch: salad perhaps, just picked from the garden, with crisp greens and bright, fully ripened tomatoes that burst with an ambrosial splendor when you bit down into them. Cornbread with a crunchy, wholesome taste that offset the salad perfectly, and glasses of cool, well water. All she could drink, glasses and glasses, full to the brim and running over, of sweet, sweet, well water.
Thoughts of playing in the stream that ran alongside the house flitted through her mind: wading, splashing, laughing, slopping, spattering. How she had taken that water for granted!
Mindy’s eyes searched the road ahead, but all she saw were the backsides of the men and a horizon that stretched into a hazy distance. The twin ruts of the stagecoach went on eternally. How could she have lived in Mississippi all her life and not known about these two furrows that carved their way into an endless forever?
“We’ll stop here,” one of the men said.
The words didn’t filter through to Mindy’s thinking parts when they first floated through the air. They traveled around her head like gnats, before buzzing into her ears.
“There’s shade for now,” he continued, “and the sun’ll be setting before long. This is far enough. If I remember right, there’s a creek running along the bottom of this hill. We should hit it sometime tomorrow.”
Mindy’s eyes widened. Stepping dangerously close to the edge of the outcropping, she stared down, searching through the pine and scrub for any hint of the water (water!) mentioned. Her lips burned like they were on fire, and her tongue seemed to have grown to twice its size. Finally, far below, a brown thread could be seen winding enticingly between the trees. With a heavy sigh, Mindy was forced to admit it was much too far to jump.
Instead, with legs of applesauce, she carefully maneuvered to the designated shade and then collapsed into a rumpled heap. There she lay, falling back against the rocks and stones without concern, but registering faintly that there would be new places of pain tomorrow. For now, she didn’t care. They had stopped. The walking had ended.
• • •
Boone sat and leaned against a rock wall. He placed the worn and dusty traveling bag near his side. His arm felt ready to fall off — surely the bag weighed thirty-five pounds! He was exhausted, and the shade felt good.
It had been a hard tramp following the stagecoach path. He glanced over at the girl. She was in a green pile, with brown boots sticking out from beneath a dirty dress. Her hair was a mess, half in a wad on the side of her head, and half running down her back. Though right now, it was all splayed against the ground, and he couldn’t remember what color it had been originally.
He had to admit a grudging respect. He’d expected to be slowed by her presence or, worse yet, encumbered by having to take turns carrying her. The woman had surprised him. But there would be no water or food when she awoke, so he fully expected the whining to begin at that time. He’d never met a female yet who didn’t pine for attention and special treatment.
Boone momentarily thought about opening the tapestry bag and removing some of the contents while she slept, but … he’d made a commitment. And besides, if she found out, he’d never get the picture of his sister back. He smiled faintly, then crossed his arms and closed his eyes, looking for a few minutes’ rest.
• • •
Mindy awoke to a growling in her stomach and a terrific thirst, though, oddly enough, she didn’t feel the coarse ground beneath her. She could have been lying on a feather mattress. It was full dark and she could hear the men talking.
“ … for a woman,” one of them was saying.
Stanton’s voice was next, speaking low. “ … worth … her salt.”
Speak up! Mindy fumed.
“Done … well as … of the men,” he continued. Her pride took a lift.
“It ain’t over yet,” said another voice. Mindy felt a tightening in her stomach and knew the voice immediately as that of The Tormentor. It rang clear and sharp, and instantly raised her hackles. “We might have made five or six miles this afternoon, but we’ve got close to thirty more to go. We’ll be carrying her before it’s over.”
Mindy’s blood ran hot, and then cold. Her palms fisted and all physical troubles vanished. Why, the no-account simpleton didn’t know a thing if he thought she needed to be carried and worried over!
“Forget about the woman,” whined another man. “What’re we gonna do about food?”
“Yeah. I’m dead beat. I need something to eat and drink.”
“Shut up, you two! For the last time!” Mindy heard a sound like a rock hitting hard dirt. Another followed.
“Ow! Whaddya do that for?”
“I’m tired of listening to the two of you complain. We’re all hungry! We’ll stay hungry ’til tomorrow when we get down in the lower region.” It was the leader of their small band, though Mindy couldn’t remember any decision that had actively made him such.
She sat up slowly. “I have food.”
“What?” A chorus of male voices.
“I have food. It’s in my traveling bag. I’ll be happy to share.”
The Tormentor stared. He stood and walked over to her, dropping the heavy bag at her feet.
“Thank you.” Mindy said, as coldly as possible. She hadn’t forgotten his unflattering statements. She stepped aside a few paces and turned her back. After a bit of fumbling, she unrolled three cans of pork and beans from the clothes inside. She returned to the group and extended them to the man in charge.
“What is that supposed to be?” asked the whiner. “I ain’t eating nothin’ that comes outta no can!”
“Well, I’ve heard of it, but I ain’t never seen it,” said another man. “But if there’s real food in there, I’ll eat the can itself!”
“Hold on,” said the leader. “First of all, there’s only three cans and there’s six of us. We’re going to have to split the food, but make sure nobody comes up short.” He looked ov
er at the complainer. “If you choose not to eat, that’ll just be more for the rest of us.”
“Well, hang on a minute. Open it up first, and let me take a look at it.”
The whiner rose to a half-kneeling position as the leader of the dusty band took a long knife from a leather sheath strapped near his gun belt. As he carved open the lid to one of the awkward red cans, a rich aroma wafted through the air. Looking up with a slow grin, he dug into the other two, setting each newly opened can on the ground.
The mood in the group distinctly changed, until he punctured the last container and a foul odor jumped out at them. “Whew-ee, boys!” he said, chucking the rank can over the edge of the rock cliff. That means we’re down to just two cans.”
“Count me out,” said the complainer, stalking away from the others. “I told you I wasn’t eating nothing outta no can. And you’re all crazy if you do!”
“Suit yourself, Byler.” As the leader handed the cans around, he made sure to hand one to Mindy first. “Eat your portion and then pass it to your neighbor. I’ll do without.” No one argued.
Stanton eagerly grasped a can with both hands and gulped down the contents. There was a shout at his side about fairness and eating too much.
Mindy looked at the man standing next to her, solidly built, strong, hearty. She was happy to go first. Tipping the can up, she urged the contents into her waiting mouth. The beans were warm but moist, and filled her mouth with an explosion of sensations. She closed her eyes to enjoy the experience. Her throat welcomed the wetness, her lips gloried in the feel of moisture again. The fact that the dust from her face combined with the pork and beans didn’t deter from her enjoyment at all. Her stomach roared loudly and she lifted the can higher, like a babe suckling a bottle.
“Hang on a minute, there. Don’t get carried away, you’re going to choke yourself.”
Mindy wiped one sleeve across her mouth, then spat at the dust. The black-eyed man took the can and downed the rest of the contents.
“Like you care,” she said with a snarl. “Then you wouldn’t have to carry me or my bag.”
Chapter Five
The Byler Brothers were getting antsy. It was an easy job: steal the payroll box from the stagecoach and head off into the sunset. But there was one problem. The stagecoach wasn’t making its planned appearance.
“You sure you got the right day?” Lee Byler, the eldest, asked his middle brother. Lee was whittling a stick down to a point as they sat sprawled on rocks high on a hill, the afternoon sun beating down on them without mercy.
“Sure I’m sure! How would I mess up something like that?” Ben replied, wiping his face and neck with a dirty, gray bandanna.
Lee stood and paced. He waved the pointed end of the stick within inches of Ben’s face. “Same way you messed up that bank robbery in El Dorado! Same way you messed up — ”
“Yeah, yeah, I was a kid then. I got it right this time. Sit tight. She’ll be coming by. It’s just a matter of time.”
Lee kicked at a third brother. “Wake him up! He’s sleeping again! I swear, one of these days … ”
Ben shoved at a young, blond boy with the heel of his boot. “Wake up, Roger.”
“What is it? Is it the stage?” the boy asked, wiping his eyes.
“Naw. No stage. But lookee here, boys. We do have us some company coming.” Lee leaned into a more alert position. By then they could all hear the approaching hoof beats. It sounded like the clattering of multiple riders coming their way, but as the oncoming visitors turned a bend, the boys saw a single rider with several ponies.
“Well, now, Ben,” Lee said, relaxing and pulling a pistol from his hip. He checked the rounds. “Does it seem fair to you that that there rider should have four horses when each of us has only one?”
Ben smiled. “Why, no sir! And if there’s one thing I’ve always believed in, it’s fairness.”
“Then what say we go down and help parcel out those horses a bit more equitably?”
Lee made a motion with the pistol and Ben made his way back down the rocks. He grabbed his younger brother by the shoulder and dragged him along. Lee waited for his siblings to get into position. He loved moments like this. “King of the Mountain” had been a game they’d played as children. One boy would climb to the top of a pile of firewood or rocks, and dare anybody to oust him from the position. What followed was a free-for-all, a throwing, digging, biting, fighting, free-for-all, but the one left standing at the end was the King of the Mountain. The other boys had respected that, and Lee had liked the feeling. He took in a deep breath of mountain air and smiled, then shot his revolver once into the air.
“Morning, neighbor!” he said to the startled rider, who glanced up. The man’s ride spooked and reared, while the three horses he was leading pulled in different directions in their attempts to break free. “I’m going to assume you’re carrying a weapon, and I’ll ask you right nicely to throw it to the side.”
As the man began to get his horses under control, he reached for a rifle near his leg. Two guns near him clicked open and prepared to fire. He raised the rifle slowly, staring directly into the hard-set face of Ben Byler. The man had no choice, and tossed his rifle to the ground. Roger ran to pick it up and then to help calm the horses.
“Hey, I know you!” Ben said as he stepped closer to their captive, a man dressed in dirty, tan-colored clothing. He hollered up the mountain, “It’s Gibb Tucker. This here’s the stagecoach driver!”
“Well, that’s right funny,” Lee called back, stepping stone by stone down into the tense scene. “You might say we’ve been waiting on you. But it appears you’ve lost something. I don’t think your boss is going to like you coming in without that fancy box or them paying customers.” He grinned at his own humor and Ben laughed out loud.
Lee frowned when the rider didn’t cut a smile. His next words turned harsh. “Let go them horses.”
The man named Gibb slowly uncoiled several reins from his pommel. “I’ve heard horse thieving’ll get a man killed,” he said, handing the lead ropes over to Roger.
“Sometimes a smart mouth’ll do the same.” Lee’s gaze narrowed. “Where’s that payroll box?”
Gibb Tucker started to say something, but Roger hollered out, “Here it is!” He’d found it strapped to one of the horses.
“I don’t guess today’s your lucky day, then, neighbor,” Lee said, smiling again. “We hadn’t planned to entertain company. But we sure do appreciate you bringing this by to us.” Lee glanced over at his siblings; they communicated with a single, decisive look. “Step down off that horse, friend.”
Tucker moved slowly. He slid one leg over his mount and eased down into the left stirrup. Then he slapped the horse on the butt, and hauled toward the desert for all he was worth, with himself riding on the low side of the pony.
Two gunshots rang out. The horse stumbled to the dry red earth, collapsing on Gibb and trapping his lower body. “Help me!” Gibb called. “I’m hurt. Help me!”
Lee Byler remained where he was. He clicked open his pistol and spun the chambers in the bright sunlight. He smiled and squinted, showing his teeth and staring at the miniature reflection of himself in the butt of the gun. “Take care of that, Ben. You know I don’t like the messy work.” Both brothers laughed as Ben stalked off. Lee watched in irritation as his younger brother covered his ears and swiveled away just as a piercing shot silenced Gibb’s pleas.
Lee, the oldest brother, leader of the group, coolly reloaded his own weapon. When Roger turned back, Lee was holding the revolver just inches from the boy’s face. “Little brother, it’s time you decided which side of the gun you’d rather be on.” Roger swallowed and nodded, then jerked at the string of horses, leading them past his brother and into the open area.
• • •
“It’s empty!” Ben shouted. He stood over the open payroll box, both feet planted on the dusty red clay.
“What?” Lee marched over to look for himself. “They’ve sent it s
ome other ways! We’ve been tricked.” He took off his hat and scrubbed his forehead. As he did, he heard a soft moan. Whirling, he marched over to where the man in brown lay dying in the dirt, still captured beneath the huge horse. When he reached him, Lee grabbed Gibb by the collar and jerked him up, shaking him. “Where’s the gold? Where’s that gold!”
“I don’t … oooh … I don’t know.” The dying man had bubbles of blood running from his mouth.
“What do you mean you don’t know? That’s my money!” Lee dropped the man and stepped back. He fired a single shot into the man’s arm.
Gibb started to cry. Huge tears made tracks down his dust-covered face. “What’re you doing to me? Can’t you see I’m already dead? I don’t know where … ” he swallowed heavily, “ … your gold is … but I hope … you never … find it.”
Lee rammed the nozzle of his gun into the man’s furrowed, sun browned forehead. “Say that again.” Gibb’s eyes closed. Lee shoved him harder. “Say that again, I said!”
Ben pulled at his older brother. “He’s gone, Lee. Come on. He didn’t know nothing. Let’s go. We’ve got to go.”
Another shot rang out from Lee’s pistol. “I told you to take care of him to start with!” Lee said, turning on Ben. “I didn’t mean no gut-shot. Both of you are little children! Next time, I’ll leave you home with your Momma.”
Both Roger and Ben were silent as they gathered up their own horses and the new ones, and prepared to head out. Lee went to stand on a small rocky outcrop, surveying the area. I’m King of this Mountain, he thought. That’s my gold … and I aim to find it.
Chapter Six
Mindy wanted to beg to be carried. With each turn in the rocky road, she prayed for the signal to stop, but none came. She prayed for the call that water had been reached, but none came. Instead, she felt more drained each passing moment beneath the sizzling, scorching sun. Her cheeks burned, her lips were swollen and ached with a fierceness. Her hair hung down in tangled, ratty waves and her hands throbbed from the cuts and bruises she had sustained during her many trips and falls — they cried out with angry voices at the ends of her arms. The dress she wore was filthy and tattered at the hem. And still, the ragged tracks in the ground went on. Her legs now moved independently of thought.