Read Online Randall Renegade by Judy Christenberry - Free Book Online Page A

again.
    “I hid him and told him not to move until I got back.”
    “We’ve got to make sure he’s safe.”
    “If you promise to lie still, I’ll go get him and bring him here. Then I’ll bandage your shoulder the best I can, and we’ll start down the trail.”
    “Okay,” he agreed.
    With that she picked up her rifle and hurried in the direction from where she’d come. He was fortunate she hadn’t obeyed him. He’d be deadby now. In moments she was bending over him again, Tommy at her side.
    “You okay, little guy?”
    “Yes. I took care of the horse.”
    “Good boy. You did better than me.”
    “Where’s Jasper?” Tommy asked.
    “He should be around. I left his reins dragging.” All the horses on the Randall ranch were trained to stay put when their reins were left untied.
    Tommy and Patience looked about. “I see him,” Patience said. “If I get him, will you be able to mount with a little help?”
    “Of course.” He tried to sound strong and slightly offended at her question.
    “Are you hurt?” Tommy asked, reaching over to pat Jim’s shoulder. Unfortunately he patted the wound, which made Jim grimace.
    “No, Tommy!” Patience called softly. She brought Jasper to a stop in front of Jim, then helped Jim sit up against a tree. She took her scarf off and put it inside his shirt.
    “What are you doing?” he asked.
    “I’m bandaging your arm with my scarf.” She wrapped the long scarf around him, binding his arm, so it wouldn’t move and cause him pain.

    “Now, I want you to try to mount Jasper.”
    Since the wound was in his right shoulder, he could only use his left hand to pull himself awkwardly into the saddle.
    “Good for you, Jim. I wasn’t sure what we’d do if you couldn’t get up there. Now, I’m going to put you on, Tommy.” She settled the little boy in her saddle. “You think they all went away, don’t you, Jim?”
    “Yeah.” He couldn’t believe how weak he was. He barely had the energy to respond.
    She swung up into the saddle behind her son, grasped Jasper’s reins and headed down the path for the switchback trail that would take them to the Randall ranch. “If you feel faint, let me know.”
    “Right,” he said, but the word came out slurred. What was happening here? He was supposed to be saving Patience, not the other way around.
    Patience gave Jim a sharp look and pulled Jasper up alongside her mount. “Jim?”
    “What?”
    “Don’t let go. Okay?”
    “Yeah,” he said.
    It only took fifteen minutes to get to the downward trail. Patience was relieved to havereached it, but it meant that they had to go in single file. She remembered Jim telling her to lead the horses down.
    She swung down from the saddle. “Tommy, I’m going to lead the horses. Can you hold on tight to the saddle?”
    “Yes, Mommy.” He sounded as if it was no challenge at all.
    She tied her horse’s reins to Jim’s saddle horn. She took Jasper’s reins and began the descent, keeping an anxious eye on both the riders. It was slow going. She had to stop after an hour for a breather. She also noticed Jim slumping lower and lower.
    “Tommy, we’re going to rest a minute. Do you want down?”
    “Yes, Mommy, I need to pee.”
    “Yes, of course,” she said with a sigh. They’d come across a wide spot on the trail, so she urged him ahead of the horses where he wouldn’t get stepped on. Then she turned to Jim.
    She was worried, but she didn’t want to let him off the horse because she was afraid he wouldn’t be able to get back on.
    “Jim? How are you?”
    He moaned, nothing more. She opened his saddlebags, looking for anything that would helpher. She found a first-aid kit. She pulled her cap off his wound and replaced it with gauze. He was being jolted by the horse’s movement, but it was the only way she had to get him down the trail.
    She also found the walkie-talkie. Were they in radio range yet? Could she reach the ranch with it? They still had a long way to go, but it