“Well, fool, are you going to kiss me or what?” Amanda asked as she stomped her foot.
He kissed her.
Cheryl giggled. “So that’s how you do it,” she said, “that’s how you catch a man.”
“Hush up, Cheryl, or I’ll be for taking my belt to you,” Bryan said.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
Everybody laughed, and they headed to the corner to have their meal.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
A couple days later, they rode into La Sal and went directly to the Hog Trough Restaurant. Midge was standing behind the counter, and her face lit up when she saw the group. She looked directly at Bryan. “Well, I see ya’ve come back to make another indecent proposal.”
Bryan spread his arms far apart and scrunched up his face. “Midge, I swear, if you were climbing the 13 steps to the gallows, you’d still be cutting up.”
Amanda glided over and hugged Midge. “How have you been?”
“Fine,” Midge said.
“Has Caroline been giving you any grief?”
“No, none. She’s been a great little helper.”
Amanda cut her eyes to Cheryl. “Midge, I want you to meet the latest addition to our little band.”
Cheryl stepped up and shook Midge’s hand.
Amanda slid a salt shaker around on the counter. “Cheryl’s parents were killed by Apaches a few weeks back. They were on their way to California—the land of milk and honey.”
“I’m so sorry, honey,” Midge said, and she threw her arms around Cheryl. “I’m so sorry.”
“Where’s Caroline?” Amanda asked. “We’ve come to take her to her new home in Snake Creek Canyon above beautiful Heber Valley. She is going to live on a horse ranch just like Bryan promised.”
“She’ll be out in a minute. I’ve got her peelin’ potatoes in the kitchen. Uh, you spoke of your little band. Does this mean that you and this big galoot,” she nodded her head in Bryan’s direction, “are an item now?”
“It does. This big galoot, as you put it, never let me alone until I finally gave in and said I would be his woman.”
“Men can be bothersome, can’t they?” Midge asked.
Bryan harrumphed. “Now wait a minute. The dang woman got up in my face and kissed me, and now I’m a doomed man.”
“Ya loved it and ya know it,” Midge said.
Cheryl spoke up. “I swear, that isn’t true what Bryan said. I was there. He just kept at her until she gave in.”
“Why, Cheryl, you little fibber,” Bryan said, chuckling.
Just then, there was a pink streak coming across the restaurant. “You came back for me, you really did,” Caroline squealed, and then she flew into Amanda’s arms.
“Of course we did, honey. What do you take us for?” Amanda said.
“Midge, bring everyone today’s special. We are famished. Uh, Caroline, are you ready to go live on a horse ranch?”
“Am I ever!” Caroline beamed.
“Are ya married yet?” Midge asked, looking into Amanda’s eyes.
“No, not yet,” Amanda replied.
“I’ll have the preacher, Mordecai Culpepper, here first thing in the mornin’ before you leave. Why, it’s indecent travelin’ together and not bein’ hitched.”
“Now wait just a minute there,” Bryan protested. “I—”
“That’ll be just fine,” Amanda said, giggling.
CHAPTER THIRTY
It was midmorning in Hanksville, and there wasn’t one single customer in Rosie’s Kitchen. “Rosie, turn around here and take our order,” Amanda said, chuckling. “We’re famished.”
Rosie turned around holding a spatula and looked like she was prepared to use it as a weapon. “Well, as I live and breathe, if it ain’t Amanda and Bryan . . . and a couple young ladies.”
Amanda nodded her head in agreement. “It is, and these young ones are our newly adopted children. This is Cheryl and Caroline,” she said, pointing to each one in turn.
“Young ladies, howdy-do?” Rosie asked.
“We are fine,” they said in unison.
Bryan cleared his throat. “Rosie, is it too late for breakfast? We’ve been on the trail all morning.”
“Heavens no, it ain’t too late for breakfast.”
“We’ll have the special, whatever that might be,” Bryan said.
“Comin’ right up,” Rosie said.
“Rosie, have you been feeding Bobby with the money I left with you?”
“Earl Widdison, his besotted father, somehow found out about the money and came in and insisted I give it to him, or he would knock me around some. I had no choice. I had to give it to him. But I’ve still managed to feed little Bobby.”
“That son-of-a—er—that son-of-a-gun,” he said, looking at the two young girls. “He’s probably already drunk that money up. When we get finished here, I am going over there to put some knots on his gnarly, old head.”
Amanda spoke up. “No, you’re not; bad idea. Don’t we just want to get Bobby and get out of town?” Amanda asked.
Bryan took a seat at a nearby table. “I suppose you’re right. But when we pick Bobby up and we see Earl, if Earl provokes me, I can’t make any promises. I cannot abide a drunk.”
“Amanda, I take it you are hitched now,” Rosie shouted from the kitchen, and then she sauntered out to talk for a minute.
“We are,” Amanda said. “He pestered me until I gave in.”
“Men are like that,” Rosie said.
“Aren’t they just,” Amanda replied.
“Congratulations—this breakfast is on me.”
“No way,” Bryan shouted. “I know you are operating on narrow margins here, and I can well afford to pay for this breakfast.” He called her over directly, paid her for the breakfast, and then slipped her an extra fifty dollars. “That’s the sort of money a cowhand makes in two months.” She tried to argue against taking it, but he insisted. “If things get tough here, Rosie, hitch a ride up to Snake Creek Canyon, and I’ll take you on as a cook, housekeeper, and nursemaid.” Rosie started crying and blubbering, trying to thank him some way.
“Go back there, blow your snoot, and get that breakfast out to us before I have a notion to take you over my knee,” Bryan said.
She sniffed and gave him a brisk salute. “Yes, sir,” she said and headed to the kitchen.
After breakfast, the clan all paraded into the Holy Moses Saloon. Ted Wall was behind the counter, standing there with a filthy bar rag draped over his shoulder. It was early and there were no patrons. “Whiskey for everyone?” he asked, chuckling.
“Ted, you’d best leave the comedy up to those who know what they are doing,” Bryan said, and he introduced them all to him.
“Now girls, I’d like you to meet Ted Wall, formerly of Wallsburg—saloon proprietor, marshal, judge, and mayor of Hanksville—all self-appointed.”
“Hi,” the girls said.
“Well, howdy, purty girls,” Ted said.
“Ted, did you get that court order for me. We’re here to pick up Bobby and give him a new home.”
Ted fished the court order in triplicate from a cubbyhole at the back of the bar. Bryan smiled. “Thanks, Ted, much obliged. Here’s a little something extra for your efforts,” he said as he handed him a twenty-dollar gold piece. “Be seeing you,” he said, and the Kohler family walked out of the Holy Moses.
When they arrived at Widdison’s Livery Stable, Earl was whipping Bobby with a razor strap. They were in one of the horse stalls, and all of the horses being boarded there were stomping around in a fright.
Bryan walked up to Earl and uncorked a right hook that came near to taking the old drunk’s head clean off his shoulders. Earl landed in a pile of horse apples and never moved. “Is he still breathing?” Bryan asked.
Amanda checked on him. “He’s still breathing and he has a strong pulse,” she said.
“Good,” Bryan said. “Cheryl, go in his house, get a paper and pencil, and write him a note telling him w
e are taking custody of his son and that we are also taking a horse. Then point out that the enclosed one hundred dollars is for the horse and tack we are taking. Bobby has to have something to ride.”
“Will do,” Cheryl said.
“Caroline, you can help Bobby curry, feed, and water all these horses,” Bryan said.
“Oh boy, oh boy, come on, girly,” Bobby said. “I’ll show you what to do.”
Bryan cut his eyes to Amanda. “Amanda, would you please help me catch the black horse over there and get him set up for Bobby?”
“I can do that,” Amanda said, “that is, if you’ll give me a quick kiss.”
“Women!” He gave her a peck on her lips.
When they left, they leaned a pitchfork, handle down, against a nearby wall and impaled Cheryl’s note, a copy of the court order, and five twenty-dollar bills on one of the tines.
After they all got mounted out in front of Widdison’s Livery Stable, Bobby said, “Oh boy, oh boy. Bryan, can I still have that black stallion if I earn it?”
“You can.”
“Can you teach me to shoot?”
“I will.”
“Can you teach me to rope?”
“I will.”
Amanda decided to throw in her two cents. She had been worried about something, and she had to get it off her shoulders. “Bryan Kohler, are you truly prepared to raise these children, along with about ten more? Or will you remain being fiddle-footed? Sorry, I just have to know.”
“Ten more? No, not ten more. But yes, I am ready to settle down . . . and hang up my guns. Maybe five more,” he said as he climbed aboard Cayuse.
“We’ll see,” Amanda said. “You know Brigham Young advocates going forth and multiplying to build up the Mormon membership.”
Bryan ignored her. Sometimes the woman was just plain crazy. But then, he thought that was the case with most women. However, he admitted to himself that it would be a lonesome old world without them, what with their sweet smiles, their loveliness, and all the other delights they bring to the table.
“Oh boy, oh boy, let’s ride,” Bobby said as he climbed aboard his pony. Then he began crying, and all three girls joined in and began blubbering and caterwauling to beat the band. Bryan couldn’t take it. He rode ahead a ways, pulled his hat down over his ears, and thought, Surely they wouldn’t bawl all the way to Snake Creek Canyon, would they?
THE END
Murder in Mushroom Valley Page 19