Ride the High Lonesome

by Rosanne Bittner

  “They’re checking out my horses,” Luke told Kate quietly. “I’ll be damned if I let my stock be stolen again.”

  “Looks like you have some fine horses, and a young bull,” the man below shouted. “You on your way to a ranch or somethin’?”

  “None of your business!” Luke answered. “And if anybody has ideas about my horses, you ought to know I already killed three men in Lander who stole some cattle from me.”

  Kate swallowed, afraid for Luke, yet a little afraid of him at the moment. His whole countenance had changed when he saw the men coming.

  “You the one we heard about back in Lander?” one of the men asked.

  “Most likely.”

  “Heard you paired up with Jake Harkner.”

  “I did.”

  There was a moment of silence.

  “Who is Jake Harkner?” Kate asked.

  “I’ll explain later,” Luke told her. “Seems using his name helps. The man doing the talking down there just handed his gun to the others, and he’s coming up here.”

  Kate pulled a blanket around her shoulders, not wanting to be seen in just a nightgown. She clung to the six-gun, ready to use it if it meant defending Luke. After a few minutes, a shadow loomed into the sunshine at the entrance, and finally a man stepped inside…a big man wearing a floppy, soiled hat and a shirt and leather vest that both looked as though they had seen better days. His eyebrows shot up in surprise when he saw Kate sitting by the fire. He turned his gaze to Luke then. “You didn’t say anything about having a woman up here.”

  “Nobody’s business but mine. And she’s my wife, so forget about what you’re thinking.”

  The man glanced at Kate again, then back to Luke. “Could it be she’s a whore from Lander, and you just don’t want to share?”

  Luke turned the barrel of his rifle to aim it directly at the man’s face. “I told you she’s my wife, and men don’t usually share their wives. Make another remark like that, and I’ll be kicking your dead body down that hill for your friends to bury.”

  The man studied Luke a moment and stepped back a little. “No offense, mister. Out here a man needs to know for sure, that’s all.”

  “You said you just came from Lander, so I highly doubt you’ve gone without for long. There are plenty of women there for whatever a man needs.”

  Kate felt her cheeks flushing at the remark.

  The intruder held Luke’s gaze and nodded. “You’re right. But that over there is a right pretty woman, so you can understand why I asked. Me and the boys down there ain’t into abusin’ women or messin’ with men’s wives, so rest easy, mister.” He looked around the cave. “It’s just that we know about this cave and figured we’d stop here to rest and maybe stash some supplies. Looks to me like you have plenty of your own supplies, so if you don’t mind, we’ll put a few things in that corner over there and trust you to leave them whenever you and the woman leave.”

  “You can trust me. I’m no damn thief.”

  The man grinned. “I can’t say as much for me and those men down there, but we only rob banks and steal range cattle. We don’t steal from good folks, and I have a feeling you’re good folks. I’ll stash our supplies, and if you don’t mind, we’ll take a little siesta in here out of the sun. Leavin’ supplies in this cave is kind of an understandin’ amongst men in these parts. We never know when we’ll need to hole up here like this.”

  “I figured as much,” Luke answered. He cautiously lowered his rifle. “I found just enough things in here when my wife and I first arrived to help keep us alive before I could go into Lander and get what we needed. We were in kind of a bad way when we first got here.”

  The man nodded. “Me and the boys are headed south to Brown’s Park. We have our own spread there and figure on pickin’ up a few strays on the way, then herd them all farther south to sell before winter sets in. If we go south, the weather shouldn’t be too bad.”

  Luke nodded. “Fine by me, as long as you leave my bull alone.”

  The man nodded and put out his hand. “Hank Snyder. I own the Double S down by Brown’s Park.”

  Luke shifted his rifle to his left hand and shook Hank’s hand. “Luke Bowden. Got no home right now but I plan on settling in northern California with the little woman over there come spring. Her name is Kate.”

  Hank nodded to her, then looked back at Luke. “Who’s buried down below?”

  “Man by the name of Buck,” Luke answered. “Don’t know his last name. He got the idea he could take advantage of my wife. I wasn’t here when it happened, so she set him straight herself. That ought to be more reason for you and your men to mind your manners. She won’t hesitate to use her own six-gun.”

  Hank grinned. “She killed that man out there?”

  “She did. She’ll kill you, too, if you go near her.”

  Hank noticed rolled-up bandages near Kate’s bedroll. “Somebody hurt?”

  Luke nodded. “When my wife shot Buck, the bullet went through him and then took a good deal of flesh off the front of her leg. It got infected, but she’ll be okay.”

  Hank frowned. “How can shooting a man in front of you end up sending a bullet down—” He hesitated. “Oh. I reckon I understand.” He folded his arms and took a deep breath. “Well, Luke, I can see you two aren’t somebody to mess with. My men will respect that. You have a bit of a reputation after what you did back in Lander. I’ll make sure my men leave their weapons below with the horses and gear before they come up here to get out of the heat. Soon as the sun goes down, we’ll all go back down below to camp for the night. We’ll be out of your hair come mornin’.”

  Luke stepped back a little. “That’s fine. Bring your men on up.”

  Hank turned to Kate and nodded, tipping his hat. “Ma’am. I hope your leg heals all right.”

  Kate glanced at Luke, then back to Hank. “Thank you.”

  Hank turned and left.

  “Are you really going to let all those men come in here?” Kate asked Luke, alarmed.

  “It’s just for a while. I read men pretty good, and I believe Hank means what he said. They won’t bring any harm. You just lie back and rest easy. I’ll keep watch ’til they leave.”

  “What about later tonight, when they think we are asleep?”

  Luke shook his head. “They won’t try anything. They know I mean business. Even so, I’ll keep watch all night.”

  “But you need your sleep, too.”

  “I’ll manage. I’m used to sleeping with one eye open. We might have to share some food with them, so don’t get upset. Men with full bellies are generally easier to deal with.”

  “But there are six of them.”

  “And two of us. You’re my back-up, good as any man.” He winked at her. “You used that gun on Buck, and they know you’ll use it again if you have to. Either way, they know I won’t hesitate either, and they think you’re my wife. Out here, that’s usually respected. You’ll be okay.”

  Kate thought how it might not be so bad if she was his wife, then shook off the silly thought.

  Minutes later, the men began filing in, carrying blankets and canteens. Some brought in gunny sacks full of supplies and laid them against the wall where Luke had promised they would be left behind when he and Kate left. They were decently clean, after having been in Lander just a couple of days earlier. Each man nodded to her and tipped his hat, calling her “Ma’am,” and keeping their distance. They were a mixture of sizes and ages, a couple of them dressed better than the others. They put down blankets and stretched out on them, thanking Luke for letting them get out of the sun for a while.

  “Won’t be long before you’re wishing for hot sun,” Luke answered. “A few days ago, we rode through a snowstorm to get here.”

  “Strange weather in this country,” Hank commented.

  Kate wondered how many times she’d al
ready heard that remark.

  “Could be snowin’ again by tomorrow,” another spoke up. “I do a lot of betting at cards, but I would never take the chance of betting on the weather out here.”

  “Neither would I,” Luke told him. He offered coffee to all of them, but they just wanted to sleep for a while. Luke moved to the cave entrance, where he could see all the men from the light that shafted through the opening. He leaned against the wall and laid his rifle across his lap, seemingly unconcerned that six strangers had just walked in, all of questionable character.

  Kate felt like a swan in the middle of a pond of alligators. It was a strange code of ethics men like these shared…hang a man for stealing cattle the hangmen had already stolen themselves…shoot a man for cheating at cards…beat a man to death or turn around and back him up in a fight against someone else.

  If Luke left her on her own, how in heck was she supposed to determine who could be trusted and who could not? If anyone could have taken advantage of her situation, it was Luke. She felt lost and vulnerable in a world of disreputable men, most of whom were lawless in one way or another, including Luke. Hank had commented about what Luke did in Lander, which reminded her he could be just as ruthless as any of the others when necessary.

  And a man was just a man. She and Luke would likely continue to be alone together for some time to come. How long could she trust him not to expect something more from her once she was healed?

  She’d never dreamed when she’d left Indiana that she would end up in a cave with a wounded leg from being attacked—that she would kill the man who’d attacked her—and that she’d be surrounded by outlaws, depending on one man she hardly knew to protect her and bring her no harm—all the while hoping he could get her to Oregon. Now she’d have to spend the winter with one Luke Bowden…or they would have to part ways and she’d be on her own somewhere this side of the Rockies…waiting for spring, again…with strangers.

  She wrapped herself in the blanket and decided to lie down. Her leg hurt from trying to walk on it earlier. She glanced at Luke, who was looking outside, his rifle still lying across his knees. He turned and met her gaze, then nodded. “Get some sleep,” he told her. “You’ll be okay.”

  Will I? It didn’t seem right to trust him so much, yet there was a sincerity about him that made her feel safe…maybe too safe. His skills and dependability, and his ability to actually care, were creating feelings deep inside that shouldn’t be there. She realized her feelings right now could be more dangerous than her situation.

  Sixteen

  Just as promised, Hank and his men picked up their bedrolls once the sun went down and carried them back down the hill, where they built their own campfire. As each man left the cave, he tipped his hat and nodded again to Kate. “Thank you, ma’am, for letting us intrude,” Hank told her. “I hope your leg heals up fast.”

  Kate answered, “You’re welcome,” thinking how strange and different life was out here as the last man left.

  Luke stayed at the cave entrance and kept an eye on all of them as they built their fire and bedded down around it. “I’m going down there and get our horses,” he told Kate. “I’ll string up a picket line near the cave to the left. There’s hardly any grass there, but they’ll be fine for the night at least.”

  “I thought you trusted those men down there.”

  “I do, as far as not harming us. But Scout is a prime bull, and our riding horses are good stock. I trust Hank, but I’m not so sure about a couple of the other ones when it comes to horses and cattle. It wouldn’t be unusual for one of them to get up in the middle of the night and make off with another man’s stock.” He looked her way. “I trust them as long as I’m around, but I wouldn’t go so far as to leave you here with them while I go after what’s mine again. You just rest easy there.”

  Rifle in hand, Luke picked up a length of rope from near his saddle and walked outside. Within five minutes, the sun settled completely behind the western mountain range, and the light outside the cave entrance faded. After a few minutes, Luke ducked inside long enough to tell Kate he’d rigged a picket rope by stretching it between two large rocks and tying each end. “I’m going down to get the horses,” he told her before again disappearing.

  Kate kept hold of her six-gun and waited, still finding it hard to relax with six men outside whose promises could be fleeting. Now she feared not just for herself, but also for Luke, whose care for her so far had made her trust him more. That trust was beginning to move beyond just leaning on a stranger for help. She realized again that she cared about the man, in ways she shouldn’t. Maybe once they reached civilization, she would get over these confused emotions.

  The crack of a gunshot suddenly pierced the crisp, night air. Kate jumped, fear engulfing her. “Luke!” she muttered. She threw off her blanket and managed to limp to the cave entrance. “Luke!” she called out louder then.

  “It’s okay,” came his shouted voice in reply. “Stay off that leg!”

  She heard men’s voices but couldn’t determine what was going on. She sat down at the cave entrance to wait, her heart pounding. Finally, she saw a shadowy figure walking up the hill and heard the soft trot of horses’ hooves. Luke loomed into the light of the cave entrance, pulling his horses and Scout behind him.

  “It’s all right,” he told her when he spotted Kate sitting at the entrance. “One of those men’s horses went lame earlier today from a leg that’s infected and swollen. We all decided to put her down.” He spoke the words casually, as though killing a horse was all in a day’s work. He walked past her to tie his horses and the young bull to the picket line. He finally returned to check on Kate again. “Quite a little remuda we’ve got going for us out there,” he said, frowning. “What the hell are you doing clear over here? You could mess up that leg.”

  “I came over here when I heard the gunshot,” Kate answered, looking up at Luke, who looked even taller and broader when she sat on the floor and he stood over her. “I was scared for you.”

  Luke bent down and scooped her up into his arms. “What do I have to do to make you stay put?” he asked. “And by the way, those men down there can’t see anything up here in the dark. Do you need to tend to anything personal before you settle for the night?”

  Why did it feel so good to be in his arms? All of Kate’s fears and trauma seemed to gather into one sudden, deep sob as she wrapped her arms around Luke’s neck. “I thought they’d shot you,” she cried, hugging him tightly and burying her face into his shoulder. He smelled of leather and horses and man—comforting smells, an odor that spoke of protection and strength.

  “Hell, woman, I told you I know when a man can be trusted. Don’t be worrying about me.”

  “I can’t…help it. You’re all I’ve got out here, and after what happened with the wagon train…and Buck…” Kate wept.

  Luke carried her to the little pine tree. “Well, we’ve got a whole string of horses and a bull that’s worth a lot,” he said, “and a whole bunch of supplies, plus weapons. If something happens to me, you just tie all that together and head north, and in no time, you’ll make it to Lander and find help. You don’t need me, especially once we get that leg healed up.”

  “That’s not what I mean,” she told him.

  Luke hung on to her and lowered her beside the tree. “Do what needs doing while I go stoke the fire. I’ll be right back.”

  Kate took care of personal matters, then wiped at tears with the sleeve of her gown as she stepped back. Luke hadn’t answered her concerns directly, and now she worried that maybe she’d said something wrong. Maybe somehow she’d either offended him or scared him to death with her crying and her needy words. Did he figure she was beginning to care a bit too much? Was she wrong in thinking he had any kind of feelings for her?

  Now she felt embarrassed. Worse, maybe if he thought she cared, he would begin to think he could take privileges. She heard his
footsteps then.

  “It’s me,” he told her. He whisked her into his arms again. “Remember that if something happens to me, you head for Lander, like I said,” he repeated. “Ask for a woman named Nora Keil. She owns a rooming house. You mention my name, and she’ll help you out—keep you safe. She and a woman who owns a clothing store helped me pick out your clothes. They’re both expecting me to bring you back there.”

  Kate felt humiliated at the change in Luke’s attitude. His voice sounded a little firmer, his countenance a little cooler. She’d said too much, shown too much emotion toward him. He probably couldn’t wait to get her healed up and get rid of her. She felt like a silly, weak fool.

  Luke carried her inside and set her down on her bedroll. “Let’s re-bandage that leg,” he said. “I’ll dump some more whiskey on it.” He left her to search through his gear for clean bandages.

  “I’m sorry,” Kate said. “That gunshot just scared me. It made me behave foolishly.”

  “We all behave foolishly sometimes, depending on what’s just happened to us,” he told her. “I killed men in the war who probably didn’t deserve it. And I almost killed my own brother when the war was over. He’d stolen the woman I intended to marry. They were already married and had one kid and another on the way when I got home.” He came over to where she sat and knelt near her foot. “Only thing that kept me from killing my brother was when their little boy looked at me with big ole innocent eyes. I figured he wasn’t responsible for any of it, and I didn’t want to take away his daddy.” He paused and sighed. “I guess a man can’t expect a woman to wait forever, not when she knows he could be dead anyway.”

  He began unwrapping the old bandages from around her leg. Kate watched silently. So, here was something he hadn’t told her yet, a little more of a reveal about the real Luke Bowden. He’d ridden off like a war hero, then come home to find the woman he loved, the woman he probably thought about all through the war, married to his own brother.