“Be careful.”
“I have it.” Mea Ann began to wiggle backward with the baby in her arm. Its whimper turned into a cry.
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
“I don’t know yet, but it’s soaking wet, so we’ll soon find out.” She came from under the bed and unwrapped the bundle. A look of surprise crossed her face. “It has such dark luscious hair and its skin is brown and smooth.”
Ty bit his lip. Should he tell them the baby was an Indian, probably a half-breed, after having seen who he figured was its father and mother?
“May I hold it?” Xenia asked.
“No, Xenia. I found it and I’ll see to it. You go ahead and get the things out of here Mr. Eldridge needs to help build the barricade.” Mea Ann looked down at the baby and tried to calm it with soft words. “Don’t you worry, you sweet little thing. I’ll find something to put on you. I know you’re miserable being so wet.”
“There are some baby things that fell out of the cabinet when I turned it over.”
“Oh, thank you, Mr. Eldridge.” She smiled at the baby. “I bet he found you some diapers. Let’s go get you dry.”
Xenia raised an eyebrow. “Well, as you can see, my sister has decided what she’s going to do to help out.”
“That’s fine. Somebody needs to look after the child. I just hope she can quiet its crying. I don’t want the outlaws to know it’s here.”
“Do you think they’d hurt it?”
“They wouldn’t hesitate.”
She shook her head. “That’s hard to understand, but don’t worry. Mea Ann has always been good with babies. She’ll have it quiet in no time.”
“Glad to hear that.”
She looked around. “Now, what do you want out of here?”
“I’ll get the mattress, and you gather all the blankets and pillows and other bed things. Be sure to get sheets. If we have to have bandages, you can tear them into strips.”
In a matter of minutes, they took the items into the front room and found Lou had shoved the table and benches against the door. Mea Ann and the baby weren’t in the room.
“Where did Miss Poindexter go with the baby?” Ty asked.
“I told her to get it out of here and make it stop that squalling. I guess she went into the kitchen to see if she could find some milk or something. Too bad we’re stuck with it.”
Xenia frowned at him. “I can’t believe you said such a horrible thing, Mr. Bullins.”
“Why not? It’s just a breed. There are enough of them around here, anyway. If it had been killed, we wouldn’t have to worry about it.”
“How could you say that about an innocent child? What kind of man are you?”
“The kind a pretty woman like your sister should be taking care of instead of half-breed baby.”
“How dare you.”
“Ignore him, Miss Poindexter. Let’s get this barricade finished.” Ty put the mattress down on the floor behind the cabinet. “You and your sister and the baby can stay here where you’ll be safe.”
“I don’t intend to hide behind that cabinet. I told you I wanted to help.”
“Unless you can load a gun or shoot it, there’s nothing you can do to help. You’ll just be in the way.”
“I assure you I won’t get in your way. I can’t shoot, but if it’ll help, I’m sure I can load a gun if you’ll show me how it’s done.”
He chuckled. “It’s not that easy.”
She lifted and eyebrow. “Are you afraid to show me?”
“Not at all. Come here.” She moved beside him and he unloaded a rifle and then reloaded it. “See.”
“Do it one more time.”
He did.
Xenia took the gun and managed to load it. She handed it back to him. “How was that?”
“You only took long enough to get us both killed. Try it again.”
He could tell he’d made her mad, but she didn’t say anything. She reloaded the gun. After three more tries her fingers were moving fast. She glared at him. “Is that better?”
“Much better. Now, let’s load the pistol.”
By the time Xenia mastered this task, Mea Ann came back through the door with a calm baby in her arms. “It’s a boy,” she announced.
“Well, I’m sure glad you got him quieted down. It was getting on my nerves.” Lou sat on one of the benches and stared at her.
“He was wet and hungry. Mr. Andrews and I found some milk in a container and I tested it to be sure it wasn’t spoiled. It wasn’t, and as soon as I fed and dried him, he was the sweetest baby you’ve ever seen.” She plopped down on the bench beside Lou. “See how handsome he is?”
Lou glanced at the baby. “It’s a damn Indian. Ain’t none of them handsome.”
Before either of them could react, Ray raced into the room. He had two more rifles in his hand. “Found these and some ammo in the pantry. Looks like we’ll need them. I see dust building up and it looks like there are several of them headed this way. They’re coming fast.”
Ty jumped into action. “Mea Ann, you take the baby and get on the mattress behind that cabinet. Bullins, you cover that small window in the corner. Ray and I’ll be covering both front windows. Xenia, you grab a pillow and sit on the floor between Ray and me, and keep the guns loaded. Just be sure to stay low. I don’t want a stray bullet hitting you.”
She plopped on the floor. “I don’t need a pillow.”
He gave her a half-smile and a quick nod as he put the guns beside her.
Ray positioned himself. “They’re stopping on the edge of the property, Ty. I guess they’re wondering if we got here yet.”
“They may send somebody to check the barn. Just wait a minute and we’ll soon learn what their intentions are.”
“I think you’ve gone to a lot of trouble for nothing.” Lou backed up. “These ain’t Indians. Maybe we should invite them in so they can help when the renegades come back.”
“I told you it weren’t Indians that attack this place.”
“I know that, Mr. Stage Driver, but you never bothered to tell us why you didn’t think so.”
“I told him they weren’t.” Ty said without turning around. “The arrow they used didn’t belong to any of the tribes around here.”
“So, maybe it was a bunch of renegades who slipped into the area.”
“I don’t think so,” Ray said. “Look at that bow lashed on that skinny cowboy’s saddle.”
“I don’t see…Oh, hell. Yes, I do.” Lou shook his head. “I wonder why they wanted us to think Indians attacked this place?”
“It doesn’t matter what they wanted, Mr. Bullins.” Xenia looked up at him. “Mr. Andrews and Ty think we need to defend this place from them, and the only thing important at this time is to save our lives.”
“You don’t need to call me Mr. Andrews, Miss Poindexter. Everybody calls me Ray and I’d appreciate if you’d do it, too.”
“Thank you, Ray. Then you must call me Xenia.”
He nodded and smiled at her. He then turned his attention to Ty. ”I was right about what the outlaws would do next. They’re sending somebody to check out the barn. As soon as they see the stagecoach, they’ll know we’re here.”
Ty nodded, and after the rider came out of the barn, he said, “Get ready. They’ll be coming.” He then glanced at Xenia and whispered, “You ready?” It pleased him when she nodded and smiled at him. He didn’t know why it pleased him, and didn’t have time to think about it. The gang started riding fast toward the building. They pulled guns and began firing.
“Hold your fire until they’re closer.” Ty leveled his rifle in the window.
Lou ignored the order and fired back.
The rider whirled his horse to the side and the bullet went over his head. He returned fire at the window, but Lou managed to spring to the side.
A bullet whizzed above Ty’s head and planted itself in the wall on the other side of the room. He fired several times, but the riders were keeping enough distance and
moving fast enough that it was hard to get a bead on his target.
“Looks like they’re going to circle the building, Ty. I’ll head into the kitchen and protect the back.” Ray reached for an extra gun and Xenia placed one in his hand.
“Yell if you need a reload and I’ll bring it to you.”
“Thanks, Miss Poindexter.” He kept low and worked his way to the kitchen.
Xenia had counted the shots and she knew Ty was about ready to change guns. She picked up a loaded rifle and held it toward him.
“Good girl.”
She gave him a quick smile, grabbed the empty gun and began loading it.
The baby began to cry, and he could hear Mea Ann shushing it and talking to it in a gentle voice. Then, she began singing a soft lullaby. He couldn’t help wondering what she really thought of the child now that she knew it was an Indian baby. Would she refuse to look after it? He didn’t know of many, if any, white women who would bother with a half-breed child.
A rider came close to the porch and leaned forward to shoot into the building. Ty fired, and the man tumbled from his saddle. He was glad Xenia couldn’t see what was happening in the yard. He was sure the blood would upset her. She might pretend to be brave, but she was a woman. A city woman, at that. He was sure she’d never witnessed a gun battle before. He was also sure when this was over, and if they managed to come out of it alive, she and her sister would hot-foot it back to Virginia as quickly as they could book passage on a train, a stage, or any other way they could think of.
He felt a sting on his shoulder as a bullet whizzed by. Knowing it had only nicked his skin, he pulled his thoughts away from anything except the attack. He had to stay focused to keep himself alive and to make sure everyone in the building stayed alive, too.
****
After another several minutes of exchanging fire, Ray came in the room and said, “Looks like they’re pulling back.”
“I’m glad they’re giving up,” Lou said.
“They’re not giving up, Bullins. They’re regrouping, but while they’re doing that, we need to do the same.” Ty looked down at Xenia. “Why don’t you go check on your sister? I’ll yell when we need you.”
Xenia was happy to stand. She hadn’t told anyone, but her leg had begun to cramp and she needed to walk on it. She had no more than made one turn when she gasped. “There’s blood on your shirt.”
“It’s just a scratch.”
“Let me see.” Xenia moved in front of him.
“It’s nothing.”
“Don’t say that. Take off your shirt and let me see.”
“When did you get hit, Ty?” Ray asked.
“I’m not sure, but as I said, it’s nothing. Could have been done by a piece of flying glass when the window broke.”
Xenia put her hands on her hips and stared at him. “Are you going to take your shirt off and let me see or am I going to have to take it off you?”
He chuckled and lifted the shirt over his head. “As if a sprig of a girl like you could manage to do that.”
“Quit arguing.” Xenia moved closer to him and peered at the bloody mark on his shoulder. “It doesn’t look too deep.”
“I told you.”
“Well, it may not be serious, but it has to be cleaned and bandaged or it could give you trouble.”
“Honey, I’ve hurt my shoulders worse than this on low-hanging tree limbs. I assure you, it’ll be fine.”
“I told you to stop arguing with me.” She moved to the back of the overturned cabinet.
Mea Ann was sitting on the mattress holding the baby close to her breast. “Is Mr. Eldridge going to be alright?”
“He’ll be fine. How about you and the baby?”
“We’re alright. He does seem to get fussy when all the shooting is going on, but I’ve managed to quiet him. I have an extra bottle we made in case he gets hungry.”
“Good. Now, please start tearing one of those sheets into strips so I can use it to bandage for Mr. Eldridge’s shoulder. I’m going in the kitchen to get a pan of water to wash his wound.”
When Xenia returned, she saw Ty had donned his shirt. She frowned at him. “Get that shirt right back off. I’m going to clean and bandage your shoulder.”
“My shoulder is fine. You’re not going to do any such thing.”
Xenia set the pan of water down, put her hands on her hips and glared at him. “Oh, yes, I am. My sister and I need somebody to help us out of this situation and you’re elected.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“As you can plainly see, Mr. Bullins isn’t going to take care of anyone except himself and his stupid gambling equipment. Ray is going to be busy getting the stagecoach back on the road so we can get to Deer Meadow. That leaves you. If you bleed to death, Mea Ann, the baby, and I will be left to survive on our own in this alien world, and I’m not sure we can do that.”
“She makes sense, Eldridge. Might as well let her fix up your shoulder. She might refuse to reload our rifles if you don’t, and she’s been doing a damn good job at that.” Ray laughed and went back to look out the window.
Ty shook his head and cursed under his breath, but he did remove his shirt. He sat down on the edge of the bench. “Let’s get this over with.”
Xenia didn’t realize the effect it would have on her until she actually touched the smooth, tan skin of Ty’s naked shoulder. She tried to control her rapid breathing, because she didn’t want him to know his nearness did anything to her. She didn’t know herself why it affected her.
By the time she cleaned the wound, tied a small bandage on it, and he’d replaced his shirt she hurried out of the room to dump the bloody water. And to calm down her beating heart.
“Hurry, Miss Xenia. They’re coming back.” Ray called.
Xenia sat the pan on the sideboard and hurried back to her spot beside Ty’s knees. He glanced down at her. “Thanks.”
She wouldn’t look at him, but she muttered, “You’re welcome, Mr. Eldridge. Now, don’t go and get shot again.”
He didn’t say anything, but she heard him chuckle.
Chapter 3
The bandits didn’t show any signs of slowing down their barrage on the way station. Bullets pounded the outside walls and a few managed to come through the windows, hitting the wall on the other side of the room. The baby whimpered every time.
“Are you and the baby alright, Miss Poindexter?” Ty called.
“I’m fine, but the noise is a little upsetting to him. I’m trying to calm him down.”
“I hope you’ll do it. He gets on my nerves,” Lou complained. “Would’ve been better if he’d been killed with his pa and ma.”
“That’s a mean thing to say,” Xenia snapped at him. “He’s an innocent child! How could you wish him dead?”
“I told you, he’s nothing but a half-breed, and there are too many of them in our country already. Besides, they don’t have feelings like normal white folks do.”
Xenia grew angry. “So, you don’t think they can feel pain, bleed, and die just like anyone else?”
“Of course they can’t.”
“Why, you…you…”
“Don’t let him upset you, Xenia. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Ty handed her an empty gun and she gave him a fully loaded one. “The world is full of people like him who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about.”
“If I’m so wrong, why did that bastard’s mama run off and leave him here to die at the first sign of trouble. Indian women don’t give a damn about their babies. They’d rather save their own skins, and she’s proof of that.”
Ray butted in. “Shut your damn mouth, Bullins. The baby’s mama didn’t run off. Ty and I found her in the kitchen with a bullet hole in her head.”
“Oh, no.” Mea Ann let out a sob. “Stop talking about such things. This child is precious—and now, to know he lost his mother in that way breaks my heart.”
A bullet came through the window Lou was gua
rding and knocked his hat to the floor. He let out an oath and sat down on the floor. “I’ve had enough of this. Somebody needs to stop it.”
“What the hell do you think we’re doing, Bullins? Now, get back in that window if you don’t want one of the outlaws to come through it and blow your brains out.”
He got back to his feet, but muttered, “I hope the outlaws do come in here and kill all of you.”
“Reckon they’d let him live if they make it in, Ty?”
“Nah, Ray. He’d be the first to go.”
Again, bullets peppered the walls, inside and out. Xenia took the empty gun Ty handed her and picked up the shells to reload. Snapping the barrel in place and letting the gun lay across her lap ready to give Ty, she glanced up and screamed when a burly man burst through the kitchen door that led into the room.
“Drop your weapons!” He yelled and trained a gun on Ty.
Ty whirled around. “How the hell—”
Ray cursed. “Damn, I should’ve been guarding the kitchen.”
The outlaw sneered. “That’s why we kept you busy concentrating on the front. Gave me the opportunity to come in here and kill all of you. Now, drop those guns.”
When Ray hesitated, the bandit shot and Ray fell to the floor.
“I’ve already dropped mine,” Lou screamed.
“Good for you, tenderfoot. Maybe I’ll let you live.”
Lou smiled, as the man fired. “Nah. I lied to you.” Lou fell backward into the wall.
Xenia screamed.
“Well, well,” the man said. “Look what we have here. Now that’s something I shore ain’t gonna kill. Leastways, not ’till we have a little fun. She’s a lot better looking than the squaw we had earlier.”
Ty started forward, but the man raised his gun toward Ty’s head. “Don’t try it, cowboy. I have this special bullet for you.”
Without thinking of what she was doing, Xenia turned the barrel of the gun toward the outlaw and pulled the trigger.
He staggered backward and fired his pistol, but the bullet went into the ceiling.
Xenia fainted.
****
Ty sprang into action. He raced to the man, kicked the gun out of his hand and jerked the screaming man up on his feet.
Xenia’s Renegade Page 3