trembled on the trigger. “Damn you, halt!”
Suddenly he leaped at her, lunging for her gun hand just as Melora did the only thing she could do. She squeezed the trigger.
Her shot missed by inches as he seized her wrist and twisted it, then yanked the gun clean away.
A wail of frustration shrieked from her throat. “Just for that,” Cal said evenly, “we leave the bags. You’ll have to get by with that fancy riding outfit and nothing else for the next few weeks.”
“No!”
“I gave you a chance.”
“You would have done the same thing!”
The truth of it flickered momentarily in his face. Then his hard features closed up, becoming impenetrable as granite once again.
“If you want them, bring them.” He snapped out the words like a cavalry captain. “But do it fast.”
And no sooner did they reach the clearing, she trudging along with both bags in tow, Cal stalking behind her, carrying her gun, than Ray and Zeke brought up the horses, and the sun showed at last a sickly glimmer in the grayish blue sky.
And off they rode.
* * *
No breakfast. Not even a sip of coffee. Melora’s stomach rumbled its protest as she gripped the reins of the extra horse her kidnapper had so thoughtfully provided for her. Cal had everything figured out. He rode ahead of her, Zeke and Ray behind. There was nothing for her to do but keep going.
They rode for hours across sagebrush plains dotted with wildflowers. When they finally stopped at noontime, Melora sat off by herself under an aspen, hungrily devouring the hard biscuits and dried meat Zeke brought her.
Then more riding. They were headed northeast, she realized sinkingly. Toward the Black Hills? The hours dragged on, and the grayness of the sky lifted. The sun grew stronger, arcing across it. Melora’s stiff body ached with weariness.
But Cal and the others showed no sign of slowing or stopping.
Then, at last, the beautiful sunset light cast its radiance across a sky of dusky purple and rose. At a place called Thunder Pass the party halted, and Zeke and Ray prepared to leave.
“Where are they going?” she asked Cal, suddenly realizing that tonight she would be all alone with him under the stars.
“Home.” He then surprised her by adding a bit more information—rare for him. “They’ve done me a good turn by helping me get things under way, but now it’s time to strike out separately. Of course,” he added cryptically, “they’ll do me one more little favor along their journey, and then their part in this is done.”
In silence she watched as Zeke and Ray shook hands with Cal. She couldn’t help reflecting on how different they were from him. Yet she sensed a warmth, a special bond between Cal and these two shambling, grimy pards of his.
“We’ll never forget you, Cal,” Zeke muttered, his voice thick with emotion.
Ray nodded in agreement. “Anytime you need somethin’, Cal, you just send for us. You know we can never do enough to repay you.”
“You have repaid me. The slate’s clean.” Cal locked gazes with each of them in turn, and then suddenly he grinned, a grin so boyish and open it transformed his face. “Try to keep out of trouble, you two. I might not be around to save your scrawny necks next time.”
There were answering grins and chuckles and some more banter exchanged. She sensed their comradeship, their reluctance to part.
Yet eventually part they did. But not before Zeke and Ray gave her a few words of advice.
“Don’t cause him no more trouble, you hear? He’s too nice a feller. If you’d just stop fretting so much and go along, why, the two of you might even become friends. A pretty thing like you and a nice young feller like that?” Zeke winked.
“I reckon I’d rather jump off Devils Tower,” Melora retorted.
Ray wagged a finger in her face. “Well, maybe you can’t be friends, exactly, but don’t complain so much and don’t keep yammering at him either. Cal doesn’t like that. He’s a quiet
Suddenly he leaped at her, lunging for her gun hand just as Melora did the only thing she could do. She squeezed the trigger.
Her shot missed by inches as he seized her wrist and twisted it, then yanked the gun clean away.
A wail of frustration shrieked from her throat. “Just for that,” Cal said evenly, “we leave the bags. You’ll have to get by with that fancy riding outfit and nothing else for the next few weeks.”
“No!”
“I gave you a chance.”
“You would have done the same thing!”
The truth of it flickered momentarily in his face. Then his hard features closed up, becoming impenetrable as granite once again.
“If you want them, bring them.” He snapped out the words like a cavalry captain. “But do it fast.”
And no sooner did they reach the clearing, she trudging along with both bags in tow, Cal stalking behind her, carrying her gun, than Ray and Zeke brought up the horses, and the sun showed at last a sickly glimmer in the grayish blue sky.
And off they rode.
* * *
No breakfast. Not even a sip of coffee. Melora’s stomach rumbled its protest as she gripped the reins of the extra horse her kidnapper had so thoughtfully provided for her. Cal had everything figured out. He rode ahead of her, Zeke and Ray behind. There was nothing for her to do but keep going.
They rode for hours across sagebrush plains dotted with wildflowers. When they finally stopped at noontime, Melora sat off by herself under an aspen, hungrily devouring the hard biscuits and dried meat Zeke brought her.
Then more riding. They were headed northeast, she realized sinkingly. Toward the Black Hills? The hours dragged on, and the grayness of the sky lifted. The sun grew stronger, arcing across it. Melora’s stiff body ached with weariness.
But Cal and the others showed no sign of slowing or stopping.
Then, at last, the beautiful sunset light cast its radiance across a sky of dusky purple and rose. At a place called Thunder Pass the party halted, and Zeke and Ray prepared to leave.
“Where are they going?” she asked Cal, suddenly realizing that tonight she would be all alone with him under the stars.
“Home.” He then surprised her by adding a bit more information—rare for him. “They’ve done me a good turn by helping me get things under way, but now it’s time to strike out separately. Of course,” he added cryptically, “they’ll do me one more little favor along their journey, and then their part in this is done.”
In silence she watched as Zeke and Ray shook hands with Cal. She couldn’t help reflecting on how different they were from him. Yet she sensed a warmth, a special bond between Cal and these two shambling, grimy pards of his.
“We’ll never forget you, Cal,” Zeke muttered, his voice thick with emotion.
Ray nodded in agreement. “Anytime you need somethin’, Cal, you just send for us. You know we can never do enough to repay you.”
“You have repaid me. The slate’s clean.” Cal locked gazes with each of them in turn, and then suddenly he grinned, a grin so boyish and open it transformed his face. “Try to keep out of trouble, you two. I might not be around to save your scrawny necks next time.”
There were answering grins and chuckles and some more banter exchanged. She sensed their comradeship, their reluctance to part.
Yet eventually part they did. But not before Zeke and Ray gave her a few words of advice.
“Don’t cause him no more trouble, you hear? He’s too nice a feller. If you’d just stop fretting so much and go along, why, the two of you might even become friends. A pretty thing like you and a nice young feller like that?” Zeke winked.
“I reckon I’d rather jump off Devils Tower,” Melora retorted.
Ray wagged a finger in her face. “Well, maybe you can’t be friends, exactly, but don’t complain so much and don’t keep yammering at him either. Cal doesn’t like that. He’s a quiet
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