“He hurt Papa too? Ohhh…” Odette stamped her foot with more anger than Ben had ever seen her express. “He’s mean like a snake—James will beat him for this!”
Dory’s eyes flew to Ben. He was staring at his daughter’s angry face with a puzzled look on his own. She reached for Odette’s hand to get her attention, and pointed to Ben’s sleeve again.
“Ben, my lips are swollen and she can’t understand me. Take off your shirt so we can see to your arm.” Dory made a move to get up. With a hand on her shoulder, Ben pressed her back down on the chair.
“Tell me where the things are. Odette can take care of this. She’s patched me up a couple times before.”
Dory and Wiley watched as Odette expertly rolled the sleeves of Ben’s shirt and union suit up past his elbow to the bulging muscles of his upper arm. After washing the wound, they could see that the bullet had cut a path across the flesh and required stitches. Swiftly and skillfully, Odette cleansed the lacerated flesh with Lambert’s Listerine from Dory’s medicine box, and after pouring boiling water over the needle and thread, she unhesitantly closed the wound with four neat stitches. She wet a compress with the listerine, pressed it to the wound and bound his arm with strips of clean cloth.
Dory was impressed by Odette’s calm, efficient manner, and so it seemed was Wiley.
“Wal, now, if’n I get me a gunshot, I know where I’m a’goin.”
“She’s wonderful,” Dory spoke slowly, the words coming distorted from her puffed lips. “You should be proud of her, Ben.”
“I am.” Ben watched his daughter empty the bloody water from the pan, wash it, and refill it from the teakettle.
“Your turn. Dory.” Odette set the pan on the table and gently cleaned Dory’s face with a warm, wet cloth. After washing away the blood, she soaked a cloth with the Listerine and dabbed at the cuts. Dory winced as Odette pressed the cloth to a cut on her cheekbone.
Odette wanted to cry. Her friend’s face was almost unrecognizable. One of Dory’s eyes was swollen shut. Her lips were cut and almost twice their normal size. Bruises, already dark but getting darker, covered her cheeks and chin.
Ben sat quietly watching. Dory had stayed here and taken Milo’s abuse in order to protect Odette and Jeanmarie. He realized that Dory had awakened something in him—something no other woman had even stirred. Her compassion, her understanding, her courage had reached some longing deep within him, something he was not even aware of. He had never cared for another human being until he had met the old man who had taught him about the engine; then Odette. He had gone his lonely way thinking that love, home and a family were for other men. Now he wondered if it were possible…
Ben knew one thing for certain. He was not going to take Odette and ride out of Dory’s life. Maybe once in a lifetime a man met a woman of her caliber. He had to stay near her, protect her, until he found out if fate had purposely arranged for their paths to cross.
His reverie turned to the attraction between James and Odette. It could be a fleeting thing. Perhaps he was making more of it than he should. He was becoming more convinced than ever that Odette could not have been fathered by one of the Callahans—but he wasn’t sure and probably never would be. He might be forced to take James into his confidence. He would hate for Odette to learn that he was not sure if he had fathered her or not. She might be so hurt that she would slide back into the scared, silent girl she had been when he had first met her.
When Odette had done all she could do for Dory’s injuries, Dory pointed toward the tablet and pencil at the end of the table. Odette took them to her and she began to write.
I’m so glad you are here. I don’t know what I would have done without you to take care of Jeanmarie and now me. Milo killed the little kitten. Help me think of a way to make Jeanmarie understand.
Dory finished writing and handed the tablet to Odette.
“Poor kitty. He’s so mean!”
Did Jeanmarie know what was going on?
“No. Baby sleep.”
Dory had just reached for the tablet to write another message when Wiley’s voice stopped her.
“Horses comin’.” Wiley leaned forward, turning his ear to the door. “Sounds like more’n two.”
Ben moved quickly and blew out first one lamp and then the other, leaving the room in total darkness. With his hand against Odette’s back he urged her toward Dory.
“Dory, hold onto Odette.”
“Might be that Milo’s stirred a bunch up agin ya ’cause of Sid,” Wiley said in a low voice.
“That’s what I’m thinking. I’m going out. Dory, if you hear shots, you and Odette get on the floor.”
“No, Ben. Don’t go. Please…”
“He’s gone, missy,” Wiley said softly. “He knows what he’s doin’.”
“They’ll… kill him.”
“Ain’t likely.”
Dory groped for Odette’s hand and held it tightly. Fear squeezed the air from her chest. Even in her near panic she realized that Ben had been right to get out of the house. They would have a better chance if they were not bunched together. She also realized that she would be more hindrance than help in her present condition. She doubted if she could even get to the rifle by the door.
The riders rode into the yard and stopped, evidently confused by the darkened house.
“Stop right thar,” Wiley shouted. “Who air ya?”
“Wiley? Ya gawdamned old fool.” There was no mistaking Louis’s loud, strident voice. “It’s me, Steven and Tinker. What the hell’s goin’ on here?”
“Come on in. Ya got ya a mess to clean up here, Louis.” Wiley struck a match. “Can ya light the lamp, Dory?”
Dory reached for the matchbox and put it in Odette’s hand. When the room was alight from the soft glow of the lamp, Wiley spoke again.
“Tell her to light the other’n. I want Louis ta get a good look at what Milo’s been up to.”
“Louis won’t care what Milo’s done to me. I don’t want Steven and Tinker to see me.”
“Tell her to light the other’n,” Wiley said stubbornly.
Dory pointed to the other lamp, and by the time the men stepped up on the porch, the room was brightly lit.
“Where’s Waller?” Louis stood back out of the path of light that came through the doorway.
“He’s out thar some’ers. Come on in. Hell, the shootin’s over ’less you start it up again.”
“Milo said he killed Sid.”
“Guess he did. I didn’t see it, but he said he did.”
“What the hell’d he do that fer?” Louis came in, followed by Steven and Tinker.
“’Cause Sid shot ’im. It’s what I’d a done.”
There was sudden quiet. Three pairs of eyes stared at Dory. She longed with all her heart to cover her face with her two hands. Pride forced her to hold her head up and stare back at them—with the one eye that she could still see out of.
Steven removed his hat. Tinker rocked back on his short stubby legs and whistled through his teeth. Louis stared and said nothing. Steven came to Dory, knelt down in front of her, and took her hand in his.
“Dory, honey—”
“Don’t touch me, Steven. I hurt in places I didn’t know I had. I may have a cracked rib,” she said, holding herself carefully erect, taking in short gulps of air through her mouth.
“We should get you to a doctor.”
“No. Odette will take care of me.”
“Harrumpt!” The sound came from Louis. “It’ll learn ya not to come at a man a tryin’ ta gouge his eyes out.”
“Is that what Milo told you?” Dory asked.
“Him and Sid stopped here for supper. By Gawd, it’s his home as much as yores. Ya ort to a fixed it.”
“What else did he say… dear brother?” Dory’s voice was heavy with sarcasm.
“Ya stabbed Sid with a fork an’ come at him.”
“He’s lying and you know it!”
“Yo’re the liar!” Louis shouted. “Jus
t like yore ma. Lyin’ to get in here, lyin’ to get Pa to push me ‘n’ Milo out.”
“It’s always back to that, isn’t it?” Anger made Dory forget her sore jaws. “You mean, stupid, thick-headed dolt! You’re so damned dumb you can’t see that it’s Milo who lies. He did this to me because I wouldn’t stand still and let Sid paw me and slobber on me.”
“Liar!” Louis bellowed.
“He was going to let Sid rape me. He said… he said my baby’s life depended on me marrying Sid. He’s crazy, and if you weren’t as crazy as he is, you’d see it. He’d have killed me if not for Wiley. He and Sid would’ve killed all of us if Ben hadn’t come when he did.”
Louis took a step toward her, his face red, his jaws shaking, his fist knotted.
“Don’t talk to me like that you… you…”
“Whore. Go on, say it. It’s what you call me to my face and behind my back. You and Milo were dragging my name through the mud even before I had Jeanmarie.”
“What else would ya call a woman with a kid and ain’t wed?” Louis roared.
“I’ve taken all I’m going to take from you and Milo. I’m going to Judge Kenton and have him divide the property. Half to you and your crazy brother and half to me and James.”
“By Gawd, ya’ll not!”
“By God, I will! I didn’t know it was possible until a few days ago.”
“It’s that gawddamn Waller. He’s put ya up to it!”
“I read about it in one of Papa’s books.” Dory hoped her lie was convincing. Her jaws hurt so bad she could hardly get out the next words. “Judge Kenton can do it, can’t he Steven?”
Steven was turning his hat around and around in his hands. “We can ask him.”
Louis’s fury was real. It pushed him beyond the bounds of reason. His nostrils flared and his jaws quivered as color drained from his face. He threw out an arm and pushed Steven out of his way so he could get to Dory.
Tinker sprang forward and grabbed the arm Louis had drawn back to hit her, but it was Ben’s voice that stopped him.
“Callahan!” The word exploded in the room. “Touch her and I’ll blow you to hell.”
All eyes turned to the doorway. Ben stood there, his hand inches from the gun on his thigh. Louis saw the smoldering look of anger in the steel-gray eyes. He noted Waller’s loose-limbed stance. The man was ready to kill him.
There was deadly quiet in the room. Tension was thick. Everything in Louis rebelled against backing down.
“I warn’t goin’ ta touch her.” Self-preservation had won over his pride.
“That isn’t all.” Ben’s light eyes looked like two frozen ponds; his voice was unnaturally quiet and its very gentleness kept all eyes focused on his face. “Don’t ever call her a whore or a slut again. And if I hear of you saying any of the things you said about her the night I came here, I’ll come looking for you. Is that understood?”
“So that’s the way it is,” Louis sneered. “Yo’re thinkin’ to get yore hands on her shares.”
“That bothers you, doesn’t it? You were going to marry her off to Sid because you could control him and her shares.”
“It’s the only way she could get a man to wed her.”
“You’re as low-down as any man I’ve met. Watch what you say about her,” Ben warned. “I’ll not kill you, but if I tear into you, you’ll wish I had.”
Louis could barely control his anger. “Ya killed Sid. The law will hear about it.”
“They certainly will. I’ll tell them.”
“You’ll hang.”
“Not for killing a man who shot me first.”
“Ya can’t prove Sid shot first.”
“He shot me in the arm. I shot him between the eyes. How could he not have shot first?”
Now is the time, Ben thought, for Louis to bring up the fact that he’d been in prison—that is if he knew about it. Wanting the engine set up, he would have overlooked that detail until now. Ben waited. Louis said nothing.
“That should be the end of it, Louis,” Steven said. “Where’s the body, Waller?”
“Out by the barn.”
“We’ll take him back up to the mill. There’s a graveyard of sorts up there.” Steven took the lantern from the hook beside the door and lit it. “Coming, Louis?”
Louis shot a belligerent look in Dory’s direction, then an even more hostile look at Ben.
“You’re fired.”
Ben laughed, but made no retort.
“I’ll send down your pay and your tools in the morning.” The tone of Steven’s voice doused any opposition from Louis.
“I’m staying until James gets here and he and Dory decide what they want to do. Tell that to Milo. If he wants trouble, I’ll oblige him. A word of advice, Callahan. Most of the men who work for you are good, decentmen. I’d hope, if I were you, that they didn’t find out what Milo did to his sister. You know how loggers feel about womenfolk. It doesn’t take much to foul up an operation—an iron wedge left in a log will cause a blade to fly into a hundred pieces, a single jab with a pike can cause a pileup. Overload that donkey engine and it will blow to smithereens.”
“Are ya threatenin’ me?”
“No. I’ll not cause any of those things to happen. I’ll be right here.”
Ben followed the men to the porch and stood there until they had slung Sid’s body over the back of his horse, mounted, and left the homestead.
CHAPTER
* 16 *
As the horse carrying Sid’s body passed, the men who had gathered in front of the bunkhouse removed their hats in respect for the dead. Tinker, Steven and Louis dismounted at the corral. Louis stomped off toward his room, leaving Steven and Tinker with the job of preparing the body for burial. They went through Sid’s pockets and removed several small coins, a pocketknife, a silver toothpick, and a picture of a very plump naked woman. After taking off Sid’s gunbelt, they rolled the body in a blanket and placed it on a wagon bed to await the service in the morning.
The area in front of the bunkhouse was well lighted with torches. The men stood around in bunches and talked. Many of them had disliked Sid Hanes, but now that he was dead, he was, so it seemed, everyone’s friend. Angry voices spoke of riding down to the homestead and confronting Ben Waller. Some said hanging was too good for a man who would shoot down a man without cause; others said it could just as well have been one of them that lay on the wagon bed waiting for a hole in the ground.
Milo had done a good job stirring up the men against Ben.
“Sid were mouthy… but he didn’t mean no harm.”
“Sid never was no gun hand.”
“Couldn’t hit a mule in the ass at ten feet.”
“Waller ain’t ort to a gunned him down like he done.”
“Ain’t no law up here. Poor Sid ain’t got no folks to speak up fer him.”
“Jist never thought of Waller as a killer. We ain’t ort to let him get away with it.”
“Ya can’t tell ’bout quiet fellers like him… could be wanted by the law for all we know.”
“I think we ort to go down and have us a little talk with ’im.”
Tinker listened to the talk and became more and more disgusted with the fools who couldn’t think for themselves. You can lead them like sheep, he thought. Like damn dumb sheep. Finally he spoke up.
“I’m thinkin’ if ya want to do something for poor Sid, ya can get ya a shovel and start diggin’ a hole.”
Heads turned. Tinker was as well thought of as any man in camp. All were eager to hear what he had to say.
“Ya ain’t thinkin’ Waller ort to get away with this, air ya, Tinker?”
“Get away with what? Ya dumbheads! Ain’t ya got brains enough ta see that Milo’s usin’ ya ta get back at Waller? Waller come in on him tonight and broke up the little get-together he and Sid was plannin’ with Miss Dory and Waller’s girl.”
“Milo didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout womenfolk bein’ there.”
“What the hell do ya thi
nk they went down there fer? A church meetin’?”
“Wal, even if they did have courtin’ on their minds, Waller didn’t have to kill Sid.”
“What would ya a done if somebody shot you? Stand there and let him shoot ya again?”
“That ain’t the way Milo told it an’ he was there.”
“He lied to cover up the meanness he done down there. Two shots were fired. One from Sid’s gun, one from Waller’s. Sid hit Waller in the arm, Waller hit him between the eyes. Figure it out fer yoreselves.”
“Milo didn’t say nothin’ ‘bout Sid firin’. Said there was one shot.”
“Milo’s lyin’. I found the shell by Sid’s body. How ya think it got there? It shore didn’t jump ten feet outta Waller’s gun. Found Waller’s shell too. Right where he was standin’.”
“Wal… I’m wonderin’ why Milo lied. Sounds fair ta me.”
“Shit! I didn’t want ta believe Waller was a killer.”
“Should’a knowed Milo’d try an’ make him an’ Sid look good.”
“Milo’s been talkin’ ’bout Waller’s girl. Said he liked it cause she couldn’t hear. Said she was deaf as a stump.”
“That shows ya where his brains is,” Tinker said with disgust. “If ya want to know what kinda man yo’re workin’ fer—ride down and take a look at what Milo done to Miss Dory. It’ll make ya want to puke.” Tinker turned on his heel and walked away.
Standing on the fringe of the crowd, Steven listened to Tinker talk to the men and noted that none of Milo’s cronies were among them. After the sawyer left, they lingered and talked among themselves for a while, then began to put out the torches and head for the bunkhouse.
Steven went down the path to his own quarters. Inside the cabin he lit the lamp, dropped the bar that secured the door and closed and locked the inside shutters.
Now that the time had come to make a move, he felt strangely calm. Nevertheless, the need for a drink of good brandy sent him to the liquor cabinet. With glass in hand he stood in the middle of the room and looked around. He had been comfortable here. Almost happy. Now that he was leaving it, he would have to plan carefully, because once he left, he wouldn’t be back. It would be too dangerous. If he showed his face on this side of the mountain after doing what he was honor-bound to do, his life wouldn’t be worth a plug nickel.
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