The Western Justice Trilogy

by Gilbert, Morris

  “Thanks, Judge. I’ll be going now. I’ve got some drinking to do, and I’m going over to beat those gamblers out of some of their money.”

  “I would advise against it.”

  “I thought you would, Judge. I’m just a hopeless sinner.”

  Riordan entered the kitchen, looking for Rosa. “How’s Miss Hannah today?” he asked her.

  “All right, I guess. She’s eating more and able to get around a little bit better.”

  “I’d better go check on her.”

  “I’ll go with you. I need to pick up her plate.” Rosa gave him a careful glance and said, “You’re taking good care of that woman.”

  “Well, she’s fragile. Not like a Western woman, like you and your mother. She needs lots of care.”

  They went to Hannah’s room. Riordan smiled and said, “Hello, Hannah.”

  “I’m glad you came. Sit down, Riordan.” Hannah smiled.

  “You know, you’ve had that bandage on long enough. It’s about time to change it. It’s bound to be dirty, and that’s not good for you. If you’ll get something to make strips out of, Rosa, we’ll put on a clean one.”

  Instantly Hannah said, “Please, I’d much rather a woman do it.”

  Rosa said more sharply than she meant to, “I’ll put it on, Riordan.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait outside. Come get me when she’s all fit to be seen, Rosa.”

  Rosa had made up some bandages, so she helped the invalid sit up and then took her gown down. She began taking the bandages off, saying nothing.

  Finally Hannah said, “I just couldn’t help being embarrassed at having a man see me undressed.”

  “There was no choice the first time. I didn’t know how to do this, and he did.”

  “I know, and I was almost out of it then. I didn’t even know it, but now it’s different.” She grunted, and as Rosa drew the bandages tight, she said, “I appreciate so much how you’ve taken care of me. You’d make a good nurse.”

  “A rough one, I suppose.”

  “I admire the way you’re able to ride and do all the things you do. I don’t think I could stay on a horse.”

  “You didn’t grow up on a ranch like I did, down in Texas.”

  “No, I’m a city girl. I’m anxious to get to my school.”

  “What are you going to teach the Indians?”

  “Oh, how to read and write, and I also want to teach them about Jesus.” She suddenly faced Rosa and said, “Are you a Christian, Miss Ramirez?”

  “I grew up a Catholic. They tell me I was baptized when I was a baby, but with the life I was caught in, I couldn’t do much about that.”

  “Why, it’s not too late now.”

  “I guess I don’t need to hear any preaching.”

  Hannah blinked with surprise at Rosa’s harsh words. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  Rosa wanted to change the subject and steer the conversation away from herself. “What about you? You have any sweethearts?”

  “Yes,” Hannah said. “I was engaged to a fine young man. He died a short time before we were to be married.”

  Rosa stared at her. What else would this woman have to endure in life? “I’m so sorry.”

  Hannah replied softly, “That’s all right. Have you ever been in love, Miss Ramirez?”

  Rosa laughed and gathered up the rest of the bandages. “I’ve had to fight men off since I was fourteen.” She suddenly hesitated. “I’ve noticed you seem attracted to Riordan. Do you like him?”

  “Well, I don’t know how to answer that. I’m grateful to him—and to you—for saving my life. I’ll never forget it.”

  “I think you’re more attached to Riordan than you let on. I don’t usually bother to give women warnings when I see them going wrong, but you two would never be happy together.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Well, you’re a woman of God from the East, and he’s a marshal and has a rough life in front of him. I don’t think you’d ever make it.” Rosa left the room, knowing that what she was really worried about was that they would make it together.

  “Get up. Marshals don’t need to take naps.”

  Startled, Riordan came off his bed in the bunkhouse and stared around. He saw Ringo and Heck and said, “Good to see you, too, Heck.”

  “I want to know something. Rosa says that Darrow went for his gun, but you pulled your own gun and shot him before he got his pistol out. You never told me you could do that. Course I haven’t forgotten how you snuffed Dent Smith out.”

  Ringo said, “I didn’t see it. I’m pretty fast with a gun myself. You think you can shade me, Riordan?”

  “Yes.”

  That single word seemed to irritate Ringo. “Let’s try it out.”

  “It’s not a game.”

  Heck said, “I’d like to see it.” Several of the hands had come in and were watching. Heck said, “You two men unload your guns. I don’t want anybody shot.”

  “I don’t want to, Heck,” Riordan insisted. “It’s not something you play with.”

  “Do what I tell you. I’m the boss around here.”

  With a sigh, Riordan removed the bullets from his gun, reholstered it, and then stood facing Ringo, who had done the same.

  “When I shout ‘Draw,’ go for your guns,” Heck said. Both men were still, with their hands down at their sides. The silence ran on, and suddenly Heck shouted in a stentorian voice, “Draw!”

  Ringo’s hand went to his gun, but even as he touched the butt, he heard a click and stared down in dismay to see that Riordan had drawn, put the gun right in his belly, and had pulled the trigger.

  “I never saw a faster draw in my life!” Ringo gasped. “Let’s never get in a fight, okay, partner?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Kind of funny,” Heck Thomas said. “Me and the judge were afraid to send you out here. We was afraid you might get killed.”

  “You’ve been practicin’ all your life, I reckon. Haven’t you?” Ned said.

  “As a matter of fact, I really haven’t. But I’ve always been quick with my hands.”

  “What about it, Heck? Are we going out to get Beecher and his bunch?”

  “No, we need half a dozen men if we run into the Fox. When we get the men, we’ll go.”

  “I want to sit up, please.”

  Riordan had been sitting beside Hannah reading to her from a book Frank had loaned him. It was poetry, and he enjoyed it. He got up and said, “Are you sure you feel up to this, Hannah?”

  “Yes, I just need to be careful.”

  He pulled the cover back and saw she was wearing a nightgown with a robe over it. He helped her stand to her feet and carefully placed her in a chair. “Is that okay?”

  “Yes, I feel much better.” She looked at him and said, “I heard about the way you and Ringo pretended to draw on each other.” She hesitated. “Have you ever killed a man besides Darrow, Riordan?”

  “I don’t like to think about it. I had to shoot an outlaw once to save Marshal Heck’s life.”

  “Did it bother you, killing Darrow?”

  He looked at her, and there was pain in her eyes. “Yes, it still does. I think I could have shot him in the arm, but you were there hurt, and Miss Ramirez was with me. If he had killed me, both of you would probably be dead now, too.”

  “It was something you had to do. Do you think you’ll do this the rest of your life?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  Riordan suddenly grinned. “You’ll laugh at this. I had ideas of becoming a painter before I got in this line of work.”

  “Can I see some of your work?”

  “Don’t really have any paintings here. They’re all back East. I’ve got some drawings.”

  “I’d like to see them.”

  “Okay. I’ll go get them.” He retrieved his tablet and placed it before her.

  She opened the cover and stared at the first one. “Why, t
hat’s Ringo!”

  “I don’t do figures as well as I’d like.”

  She began to turn slowly through the pages, commenting and exclaiming about his work.

  She got to one of Rosa and said, “She’s so beautiful.”

  “Yes, she is. Would you like for me to do a sketch of you?”

  “No, I’m all puffy and ugly.”

  He laughed. “No, I can take all that out.”

  He took the tablet and leaned back, putting it on the table. Taking a pencil, he began to sketch.

  He was so engrossed in his work he was startled when Rosa came to the open door. She watched the two for a while. A look of displeasure came over her face. She turned and left without a word.

  CHAPTER 17

  A week had gone by since Riordan had done the sketch of Hannah, and she was getting better every day. She could get up now, dress herself, and move around very well. She loved the sketch Riordan had made and kept it pinned to her wall.

  As for Riordan, he took the bounty money that had been on Alvin Darrow and Powell and gave it to Hannah saying, “Use this for your school.”

  “Why, thank you, Riordan. We always need supplies for the students.”

  “I just wanted to tell you that I’ll take you to the school when you get able.”

  “I think I’d better be a little bit stronger.”

  “Probably best. Where will you stay when you get there?”

  “I—I really don’t know. I think the mission board expected a couple coming out, and of course I thought William would make all the arrangements.”

  It was evening, and the two were standing on the front porch. Riordan often did this, sat outdoors at night, looking up at the sky and admiring the beauty displayed among the stars.

  Hannah asked, “You like to watch the stars?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “I wish I knew the names of them like sailors do.”

  “I know some of them.” He began to name the stars.

  Finally she exclaimed, “You know so much! You went to college, didn’t you?”

  “I don’t know as I learned all that much that was helpful.”

  The two were standing close together. She moved and said, “I’ll be glad when my ribs get well.” She inadvertently leaned against him.

  He felt the soft pressure of her body. He smelled the rose scent that was in her hair, and by the light of the huge full moon, he could see her face. She had a tender expression, and Riordan did something he had not thought he was capable of. Without another word, he put his arms around her, held her gently, leaned over, and kissed her. He felt her surprise, and for a moment she resisted. Then she seemed to melt against him, and her lips moved under his.

  When he lifted his head, she said, “I’m so ashamed.”

  “No, I don’t want you to feel that way. It was all my doing.”

  “I don’t know. I feel different toward you than I’ve ever felt.”

  “The doctor said that would happen. That you’d be dependent on me and Rosa because we helped you when you needed someone.”

  “I don’t think that’s it, but I’m ashamed that I would kiss a man so easily.” She turned and left.

  Suddenly Rosa’s voice came in the darkness. “You comforting the patient, Riordan?”

  Quickly Riordan turned and saw that she had been sitting in one of the cane-bottom rocking chairs usually occupied by her father. He hadn’t dreamed she was on the porch. He was embarrassed and could not think of a thing to say. Finally he said, “Rosa, I feel sorry for her. She’s helpless. She’s lost the man she was going to marry, and she’s afraid.”

  “And that’s all there was to it?”

  “Yes.”

  Rosa rose and came to him.

  He was taken off guard when she reached up, put her arms around his neck, and pulled his head down. He felt the softness of her form and was suddenly aware that old hungers had been stirred.

  Her lips were soft, and she pulled him closer, and then suddenly she stepped back. “You see? You were after her, and now you’re after me. If a cheap saloon girl walked by, you’d be after her, too.” She turned and walked quickly away.

  Riordan wanted to talk to her, and he called her name.

  She turned around and came back. “What is it?”

  “I loved a woman once, but she didn’t want me. She was the only sweetheart I ever had. I’m not a woman chaser, Rosa. I may have made a mistake with Hannah. It won’t be the last mistake I make.”

  Suddenly Rosa felt sorry that she had tormented him. “I apologize. I’m the one that was out of order. Just forget what happened.”

  But all Riordan thought about was how he was supposed to forget about holding Rosa in his arms.

  Gray Hawk rode in the next day and ate as if he were ravenous.

  He listened to Rosa as she explained what had happened with the outlaws and how they had killed a man and that a federal marshal was now on the spot. She told him about Riordan.

  “I’ve heard about Riordan. He’s the one that gunned Dent Smith and Alvin Darrow down.”

  “Yes, he did.”

  “Must be some gunman.”

  Rosa took Gray Hawk to see her father and her grandfather.

  After catching up on the news, the conversation turned once again to the outlaws. Rosa said, “I want George Pye brought to justice for killing Blinky.”

  “That was Powell who shot Blinky,” her father interjected.

  “Pye was shooting, too. He’s just as guilty,” she countered.

  Gray Hawk’s eyes suddenly gleamed. “I know where he is.”

  “Where?” Rosa demanded.

  “He’s holed up in Spivey Town. It’s a rotten little hole full of bad Indians and outlaws. No decency in it.”

  Later on, Gray Hawk hunted Riordan down and wanted to know about the killing of Darrow. Finally he told the marshal what he had told Rosa. “Pye’s and Beecher’s gang are in Spivey Town, but you’d better stay away from there. Wait until you get a whole band of marshals. It’s got more bad men and killers than a dog has fleas.”

  “Well, maybe the judge will send out a troop to clean out that rat’s nest.”

  “It’d take a troop,” Gray Hawk grunted.

  “I’ll send word to him. We’ll see what can be done.”

  “You’d better tell him to get some good ones. The Fox is out there with his band. It’s like a small army, Riordan.”

  Rosa walked up then. “I heard what you two were talking about. Riordan, you go back to the city where you belong. You’re educated, and you’ve got a good family with money. You can’t win out here.”

  “You’re probably right,” Riordan said. He said no more but turned and walked away.

  The next morning Gray Hawk saw Rosa at breakfast. “Riordan rode out early this morning.”

  Rosa stared at him. “Where was he going?”

  “Probably to Fort Smith to see the judge about getting the marshals,” Mateo said.

  “No, he didn’t head toward Fort Smith. He rode due east headed toward the hill country.”

  They were silent, and it was Gray Hawk who said what they were all thinking. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he was going to Spivey Town to root out that fellow who shot your hired hand.”

  “He wouldn’t be foolish enough to do that!” Rosa exclaimed.

  “Men do foolish things. He didn’t ask me to go with him. We could have gotten a bunch up here, I think, but it looks like he’s determined to go it alone.”

  Rosa groaned, and a couple of tears escaped her eyes. “I was the one that got him here to hunt up Pye and his murderers. I wish I had never done anything now.”

  Riordan spoke to Red, as he often did, “I’m just being a fool, Red. A horse wouldn’t do a fool thing like this.” He had formed a habit of talking to the big horse when he was alone. “I know I ought to get to Fort Smith and beg the judge to send at least two or three marshals, but I guess I just really haven’t proved I’m as tough as I need to be. Mayb
e I can catch Pye out alone, just me and him. It’ll be easy.”

  He had heard the directions and seen a map that pointed out Spivey Town. He arrived there late in the afternoon and saw that it wasn’t much of a town. A few unpainted shacks and a line of businesses all built of warping boards—a general store, a livery stable, a feed store, and too many saloons for any place to remain decent.

  He came to the edge of town, rode in, stopped in front of the livery stable, and dismounted. He tried to think of some way to find Pye, draw him out, and then get him alone. He was certain that if he tried to take Pye with his gang around, there would be a battle he could not survive.

  Finally the sun went down, and still he could not come upon a plan. He took a deep breath and said, “I’ve got to do something.” He started down the street, staggering, pretending to be drunk.

  He stumbled into a half-breed who said, “Watch where you’re going!” with a curse.

  “I’ve got to find George Pye,” Riordan mumbled. “Got some money for him.”

  The man’s eyes narrowed. “Money? He’s with his woman. Give me twenty dollars, and I’ll show you her place.”

  “Sure.” Riordan fumbled the money out and gave the man the cash.

  “Come on,” the man said.

  Riordan followed him down a street. They stopped in front of a saloon with a sign saying THE BELLE IRENE.

  The man pointed up to the second-floor window. “That’s Sally’s place. If George ain’t gambled all his money away, and if he’s drunk, he’ll be in her room. He ain’t, he’ll be in that saloon.”

  Riordan mumbled his thanks, and the man left.

  Slowly Riordan tied Red to the hitching post. The street was almost empty now. Just a few people walking along and going into different stores. Maybe I’ll get lucky and he’ll be there alone or with the woman.

  He entered the door that led to the upstairs section. When he got to the top, he saw there was a short hallway. Each wall had a door. He looked at one, and it was empty. Going to the other door, he lifted his ear and heard a woman talking and a man grunting some answers. That’s got to be him.