The man’s eyes went immediately to Jax’s gun and he moved on past him. “I ain’t looking for no trouble Mister, just want to get a bite to eat.” “Well I guess you found the right place.”
Virginia crossed the street, honey in hand and walked inside. She took note of the scruffy bunch of men sitting down at a table in the corner. Jax followed her inside and took his place at the end of the counter. She carried the honey into the kitchen, then came back out to clear a table of dishes that had been left by the two gentlemen who’d recently left. She overheard the scruffy looking men, whispering. They were talking about Jax and looking his way. One of them said, something that caught her attention. “Fellows, I’ve seen him in action before. I’m telling you that’s the Angel of Death. I saw him down in Tucson. They say he’s never killed a man that didn’t draw on him first, but the number of men who’ve gone up against him is way up there. I’m telling you he’s killed more men than Wyatt Earp and Wild Bill Hickok combined.” “I say you’re full of crap, Reeves. You’ve been reading too many of those dime novels.” “I ain’t done it, it’s him, I tell you.”
Virginia, stilled her hands and listened, then she cut her eyes toward him. “I’m telling you, Reeves, even if it is him, I wouldn’t go around blabbing it to everybody. You ever think the man might want to settle down somewhere, without some slick hotshot seeking him out to challenge him. I mean that’s why Pa was never around, or didn’t you know that. He stuck around long enough to get married and have us, then some stranger came into town looking for him. That’s why he left and only came around about once a year. I’m telling you let the man, be.” “Yeah, I guess you’re probably right, Jimmy. I won’t mention it again.”
Virginia finished cleaning the table. She carried the dishes to the sink and left them to be washed. She found her way back out front and propped up on the counter. She watched Jax out of the corner of her eye. She pretended to be looking at the customers. She took in the way he stood with his hand on his gun. She watched the steady gleam in his eye. Why had she not seen it before? His very stance spoke volumes as to just how dangerous he was. She took note of his intense gaze. He carried himself like a gunslinger. She recalled the day she’d rode up on him at the creek. She’d challenged him but he sent her away. He could have made a fool of her but he didn’t. He chose not to humiliate her or maybe he just didn’t want her to figure it out.
She watched as a man and woman walked in and took a seat. She walked over to their table to tale them the special. Her granny was bringing out food for the group of men when she walked through the kitchen door. They got quiet when she walked up to the table. Once their food was on the table they never opened their mouths again. Virginia wanted to know more, but she wouldn’t get a chance to hear it from them. They finished their meals and left.
Shoot, she thought. There went the only evidence she had of the Angel of Death. She remembered something one of them said about a dime novel. That’s it, I’ll get a dime novel. I’m sure I can order one over at the general store, she thought. She looked over at Jax. “I think I’m going to walk across the street for a minute. Would you tell Granny I’ll be right back if she ask?” “Sure, go ahead.”
Jax stepped outside, and sat back down in his chair and watched Virginia cross the street. If he hadn’t been watching her, he would have noticed the sheriff walking toward him. He turned around when he heard the man grunt. “What can I do for you, Sheriff?” “I want to know who you are and what you’re doing in this town.” “My name’s Jax Tanner. I’m working for Mrs. Ellen. She pays me to chop wood and a few other things.” “Is that so, you don’t strike me as the wood chopping type.” “Maybe it’s because she also pays me to keep an eye on things. I handle the more rowdy customers Sheriff. I take it you’ve been out of town, or you would know I’ve been working here a few weeks now. I’m renting that little farm outside of town, from the bank.”
Virginia watched from the general store as the sheriff stood talking to Jax. She wanted to know what was being, said between the two men. She watched as her granny exited the restaurant and joined the conversation. After her granny said a few words to the sheriff, he left. The clerk waved his hand in front of her face. “What can I do for you, Miss Virginia?” “Oh sorry, I was hoping I could order a few books.” She decided to order more than one, so no one would get suspicious. She would pretend to be buying them for her brothers. “Sure, sure, let me find the right catalogue.” The clerk dug under the counter through a few items and pulled out a catalog setting it on the counter. Virginia made conversation while she flipped through the pages. “I want to order a few books for my brothers, you know for when they return from the drive. I thought they might like that.” She picked out a couple novels about other gunslingers and then she found the one labeled the Angel of Death. She ordered three novels total, just to make sure she did have each of her brothers a book, because she would be keeping the Angel of Death novel for herself.
Upon leaving the general store, she saw Penelope Shepherd smiling at Jax while she flirted immensely. Virginia wasn’t sure why, but it made her angry, and she hurried across the street, to where the two were. “Penelope, were you looking for someone?” “Why no, Virginia, I was just talking to Mr. Jax here.” “I wouldn’t let your father see you talking to him. He would scold you good.” “No, he would not.” “I would hope that any man would scold his sixteen year old daughter for making such a fuss over an older man.” That did it. Penelope huffed and stomped off. Virginia looked down at Jax. He was staring up at her, with his eyebrows raised. “What?” “Nothing, just thought you were kind of mean to that poor girl is all.” “Really, I don’t know what you mean. I was just trying to keep her out of trouble.”
Virginia stomped inside but not before, she heard Jax’s laughter. She shrugged her shoulders and went back to work clearing tables and taking orders.
Mrs. Ellen walked out of the kitchen looking for Virginia. “Virginia, would you get Jax and take him out to the ranch, hunting? I’m getting low on meat and I would like something besides beef and chicken.” “Yes ma’am, although I doubt he’ll go with me. He’s afraid someone might see us together, and he’ll be forced to marry me.” “Oh yes, I wasn’t thinking. I’m so used to you being around the boys that I completely forget the rules of civilization sometimes. I’ll close up and come with you. I’ll just sit in the buggy, while you two hunt. Please ask Jax to go down to the livery and hitch up my buggy.” “Yes ma’am.” Virginia walked to the door and relayed her grannies orders to Jax.
She walked back inside and finished taking dishes to the kitchen. She helped wash them up so they could all close up and leave. When Jax pulled the buggy up in front, she grabbed her rifle and they walked out to join him. Behind the buggy his stallion and her mare were hitched to the back. She unhitched her mare and climbed up in the saddle, then put the rifle in its sheath.
Jax helped Mrs. Ellen into the buggy then climbed on his own horse. As they rode out of town, the sheriff stood in front of the jail propped against a post watching them. Jax tipped his hat to him, and rode on.
“Here we are, welcome to the Barnett Ranch. As far as you can see and much more is nothing but Barnett land.” Virginia waved her hand in a wide arc.
The Barnett ranch was huge. Jax caught himself admiring it and wondered what it must take to run a place this big. He’d never had much use for cattle but he’d wanted to start a horse breeding business of his own someday. He would need plenty of land, but he doubted anyone really needed this much. Mrs. Ellen and Virginia pointed out different things to him. The pride in their voices, was all that needed to be said.
Virginia found herself pointing out a section of land that stretched as far as the eye could see with a great big hill dotted with trees and the most beautiful scenery he’d ever seen. “This is all going to be mine,” she said. “It’s my dowry. Pa asked me to pick out ten thousand acres of my own, that would go to me on my wedding day. That hill over yonder, sits right smack dab
in the middle of it. You can’t see most of it from here, but you are technically on it right now.” “Ten thousand acres is a lot of land.” “It’s small in comparison to what my brothers will inherit. All total there is a hundred thousand acres here. The remaining land will be split between them, which means, they’ll each have forty five thousand acres a piece. That’s enough for each of them to operate their own ranch.”
He’d never thought about having children, so it never crossed his mind to think about owning enough land to provide his children a future. It didn’t quite seem fair to him, that she wouldn’t inherit as much as her brothers. Some men didn’t see their daughters as equals to their sons. He supposed her father was one of those men.
Mrs. Ellen pulled her buggy under a big shade tree and relaxed. Jax took one side of the road while Virginia took the other. They’d decided to have a little friendly competition. Whoever got the biggest game, would win. The winner got to choose his or her prize.
Jax thought about what he might ask of her. What kind of prize might he like to receive from her if he won. He was sure he would. He, kind of thought he might like a kiss. He was daydreaming about kissing her when a buck jumped out in front of him. He raised his gun to fire, but he missed. He spotted a doe running off in the other direction and set his sights on her. She wasn’t nearly as big as the buck but she would have to do. He fired a steady shot right through the doe’s heart. Happy with himself he gutted and tossed the deer on the back of his saddle. He heard another gunshot and realized Virginia must have killed something too.
They got back to the buggy around the same time. To his surprise, Virginia had the buck he’d missed dragging it behind her mount. Damn, he thought. He was really looking forward to asking her for a kiss. He knew it would make her mad, but the thought of making her angry and knowing she was too daring not to do it just gave him, all the more, reason to do it. However, he’d lost the bet and she’d scored the biggest game. He waited for her to make him pay up.
“Well, it looks like I win, so I guess you get to skin out both deer.” That was all she said. She didn’t come up with something ridiculous like he had. She just simply put skinning the deer off on him. He would’ve done it anyway.
They took the deer back to the restaurant. The ladies, went upstairs to Mrs. Ellen’s apartment while Jax took the deer around back and skinned them out.
Chapter Seven
Jax had never gone this long without using his guns. It had to be a record of some sort. So far no one had figured it out, at least no one he knew of. He couldn’t have been more wrong.
The stage coach brought a package to the general store addressed to Miss Virginia Barnett. He took it since he was there getting flour for Mrs. Ellen. He didn’t open it. It was none of his business, still he wondered what it was. He thought it felt like books. He didn’t see much wrong with that. Everyone should learn to read, he thought. There were still uneducated people all across the country, more out west than back east.
He carried the package in and set it down on the counter, while he took the flour to the kitchen. “Where’s Virginia, she got a package in on the stage. I sat it on the counter for her.” “She’s upstairs, I’ll let her know when she comes back down.”
Virginia ran through the kitchen door, snatched the package off the counter and went back up the stairs with it. She threw herself across the bed and tore the package open. She set the other books aside and picked up the one titled, The Angel of Death.
She read; The Angel of Death, is a ruthless killer, however, he’s never killed anyone in cold blood. He rides into town on his big black steed and before the day is over, he’s called out into the street. He aims with perfect accuracy. He puts a bullet through the heart of every man he kills before they even have time to pull their weapon. He never draws first, and he tries to talk the youngsters out of it. He has never walked into a town and started the fight, although he always makes his presence known. The very danger with which he carries himself tells of the danger without anyone ever uttering a word. His presence strikes fear in most men. Women, throw themselves at him unmercifully and children imitate him in the streets. His attire is a black hat, black vest, black pants and black boots. He wears a pistol on each hip and knows how to use both of them with equal deadliness. He’s been known to rescue damsels in distress and occasionally joins up with a posse to ride down bank robbers and evil doers. The Angel of Death fits into such categories as Wild Bill Hickok and Wyatt Earp though he has likely killed more than the two of them combined.
Virginia heard footsteps on the stairs so she closed and hid the book under her mattress. “Virginia, what are you doing up here? We have customers. What is that on your bed?” “Oh it’s just a couple of dime novels I ordered for my brothers.” “Why on earth, would you buy them such filth? Do they actually read that mess?” “Yes ma’am, they have several of them.” “Well come on, I suppose you can wrap them up for them later. We’ve got work to do.”
Virginia followed her granny down the stairs and went back to work. Her eyes kept roaming over to Jax as she cleared off the table. He definitely fit the description in the book. She took in his clothes and noted that he wore two pistols and rode a black horse. He had to be him, she thought. Still she wouldn’t say anything. It was as those two scruffy men said. Maybe, he wanted to settle down somewhere and not have to worry about looking over his shoulder. She decided to keep her suspicions to herself.
Virginia wondered about the women it mentioned in the book. Had he really rescued damsels in distress? Then she remembered, he’d only recently rescued her. That was just more proof that he did indeed fit the profile. She felt jealousy rise up in the pit of her stomach as she thought about those women falling all over themselves to get to him. She remembered how she’d felt when she saw Penelope flirting with him. Why did he of all people have to make her crazy? She didn’t need this. She definitely didn’t need him.
She told herself she didn’t want him nor need him, but truth be told, she’d never wanted any man until now. She wanted him so bad she ached to be near him. She wondered what it would be like to be in his arms. She would never know, because she was not the type of woman a man wanted. She supposed the only man who would ever settle down with the likes of her would be one out to get his hands on her land. She wasn’t much to look at, at least she hadn’t thought so. She’d never had a man flirt with her, except ugly old trail hands who hadn’t seen a woman in a while. That was proof that she wasn’t worth much to look like, she figured. The only thing she knew how to do, was ride, rope, and shoot. She was one of the men as far as the ranch hands were concerned. She’d earned their respect by outworking all of them.
She thought it might be nice to cook for the man you love. She’d never thought of it that way before. Maybe, it was because she’d never been interested in anyone before. She had no idea how to flirt with a man and most of the time she ended up, being down right mean to Jax.
She decided she would pay attention the next time her granny tried to teach her to cook. If she couldn’t get his attention by a woman’s wiles then she would get his attention with food. She was going to learn to cook, and she would cook him the best meal he’d ever eaten. She grit her teeth in determination and headed into the kitchen.
“Gran, I was hoping you might teach me to cook. I know I’ve been awful about it and all, but I’ve had a change of heart. I really want to learn.” Ellen smiled, “Well that would be wonderful, come on we can start today. I’ll let you cook Jax’s supper and we won’t tell him unless he likes it.” “Ok, I guess that’s fine.”
Jax noticed that at some point, Virginia had quit clearing the tables and the fifteen year old who usually washed dishes was doing it. He still didn’t know the girls name. She never opened her mouth. She was shy and nervous around people. Jax started to help her but she shooed him away.
Mrs. Ellen came out and yelled for him to turn the closed sign around, and come on in. It was time for supper, and he was starving, so h
e did. He pulled out a chair at his usual table and sat down. Mrs. Ellen brought him a plate of food just like she always did.
The meal she laid in front of him consisted of roast, potatoes, peas, okra and cornbread with a pepper on the side. The gravy from the roast was dripping on top of the potatoes and it smelled delicious. It was delicious. He ate every bite without stopping. “Mrs. Ellen, you outdone yourself tonight, this is delicious.” “Thank you, but I didn’t cook it, Virginia did.” “You’re kidding, right?” “I’m afraid not. She asked me to teach her to cook, and she done a mighty fine job of it, too. Of course, Virginia has always been one to outdo herself when she throws herself into her work. That’s why all the hand’s at the ranch trust her to do a man’s job without question.” “Well, tell her I said it was real good.”
He cleared his plate from the table, took it to the kitchen and washed it. When he left he headed to the livery to get his horse. He overheard a conversation between the livery owner, Chuck and a man just off the trail, must be a trail boss, he thought. They were talking about horses, and Jax centered his attention on the conversation. “There good horses Chuck some of the best. You know I have to sell them I can’t take them all the way back to Texas.” “Well, I realize that but I just don’t have the money for them. Maybe you’ll have better luck when you get to Montana.” Jax interrupted them. “Excuse me, I don’t mean to be nosey, but just what kind of horses are you talking about? Are they mares, geldings or what?” “Well, for the most part, there are mostly mares. There are a few good geldings in the bunch, but they belong to the men. We usually keep the mares for breeding stock but this year the boss chose to let a good bit of them go.” “I’m really just looking to buy mares. Would it be too much trouble for me to, look at them?” “Nah, I’m about to head out there now if you’d like to ride along.”
The Gunslinger (Barnett Ranch) Page 3