A Frontier Christmas (12 page)

This morning Judge Daniel Kirkpatrick and Deputy Jason Masters were found dead, suspended from the gallows that had been constructed for the legal execution of T. Bob and Jesse Cave.

After cutting the bodies down, Marshal Worley checked the jail, where he discovered that the cell door was open and the Cave brothers were missing. The two had been sentenced to hang for the brutal slaying of John Guthrie, as well as Mr. Guthrie's wife, son, and daughter.

It is the marshal's belief that the prisoners had assistance in escaping, as it seems quite unlikely they could have opened the jail cell door by themselves.

Late that afternoon, Jacobs and the Cave brothers rode into the entrance of the gorge. Jacobs dismounted and stood with his arms extended out to each side for a moment. They saw a puff of smoke, followed by the sound of a gunshot.

“What the hell? They're shooting at us!” T. Bob hollered, frightened.

“Hold on,” Jacobs said.

Two more puffs of smoke were followed by two more gunshots.

“That's the signal,” Wally said as he remounted. “We can go in, now.”

Inside the canyon, Max Dingo sat at a table in the outlaw saloon. He was told that three riders were coming in.

“Who are they?” he asked.

“It's Wally and the Cave brothers,” Nitwit Mitt said.

“Good, good. He got 'em, I see. Bring 'em to me as soon they get here.”

 

 

Fifteen minutes later, the three men were standing in front of Dingo.

“Here they are,” Nitwit said.

“How much money do you two boys have?” Dingo asked, looking at Jesse and T. Bob.

“We don't have no money at all. We was in jail, and what money we did have was took from us,” Jesse said.

“I sort of thought as much,” Dingo replied. “Tell me, just how do you expect to pay for your time while you are here?”

“What do you mean, pay for our time while we're here? Who should we pay? And why should we have to pay to be here?” Jesse asked indignantly.

“Why, you should pay me, of course. And as to why, it's simple. As long as you are inside this canyon, you are safe. Nobody from the law knows about it, and even if they did know, they couldn't get in. You're as safe here as you would be inside a fort. Don't you think that's worth something?”

“Well, I—”

Dingo held up his hand to stop him. “Are you hungry? We got beans, ham, bread. You're welcome to any food we have as long as you are here.”

“Thanks!” Jesse grinned.

Dingo smirked. “That comes with the rent you'll be payin' for stayin' here.”

“Where are we s'posed to get the money that we're to pay you with?” T. Bob asked.

“Well, boys, I expect you'll get it the way ever'one else in here does. You'll find a job to do, you'll do it, then you'll give me one third of whatever you make.”

“One third?” Jesse exclaimed, spittle coming out with the shouted word.

Dingo turned and looked at Jacobs. “Wally, didn't you explain things to these boys?”

“I haven't had time to explain it all, yet. Anyway, I figured that more 'n likely, you'd do a better job of tellin' ' em how things work here.”

“How things work, yes indeed,” Dingo said. “Jesse, T. Bob, I have to tell you that I don't understand why you two are bellyachin' about this. If we hadn't arranged to break you out of jail, by now you'd both be crow bait.”

Jesse shrugged. “So what's next? Do we go out and look for something that will make some money for us?”

“You'll stay here, eating my beans and staying out of trouble, until I find something for you to do.”

“What if we don't want to stay here?” T. Bob asked. “What if we just moved on right now, and took our chances?”

“Where are you going to go? More to the point, how are you going to get there?” Dingo hadn't moved from the table.

“What do you mean, how are we goin' to get there? I reckon we'll just ride out on the same horses we rode in on,” T. Bob said.

“Not on my horses, you ain't.”

T. Bob was confused. “Your horses?”

“Tell me, boys, are those the same horses you was ridin' when you was caught?” Dingo asked.

Jesse thought a minute. “No, they're different from the ones we had.”

“Where did you get the horses?”

“They was out back of the jail when Wally broke us—” Jesse stopped and stared at Dingo for a long moment. “They're your horses, ain't they?”

Dingo smiled. “That's right. I told Wally that he could
borrow
them so you two would have some way to get here once you escaped. If you stay here, you'll be needin' a way to get around. Especially if you are going to find some way of making money for me.”

Jesse looked at T. Bob, then back to Dingo. “So what you're sayin' is, we can keep the horses, and we can stay here and eat the food, but we'll be workin' for you. Is that right?”

Dingo smiled broadly. “You're right, Wally. These boys is pretty smart, after all.”

It was beginning to show signs of the season. Volunteers were wrapping greenery and red ribbons around the lampposts, and the merchants were beginning to decorate their establishments. Only the R.W. Guthrie Building and Supply Company was not joining the other merchants. It was still draped in black bunting.

Duff rode into town to pick up the mail. Seeing a letter from Meagan, he smiled and took it with him over to Fiddlers' Green to read.

Biff greeted him heartily. “Duff, Rose made haggis, neeps, and tatties for lunch today. I can't stand the stuff, but I know you like it, so there's some back in the kitchen, keeping warm for you.”

“Ye do know, don't ye, Biff, that the only reason I call ye m' friend, is because you had the good sense to marry a Scottish lass?”

“So you tell me. Have a table in the back there. I'll bring your meal and a dram.”

As he waited for the meal, he opened and read Meagan's letter.

Biff brought the plate and the Scotch. “From Meagan?” he asked, indicating the letter.

“Aye.”

“Does she say when she'll be back?”

“Before Christmas, she says.”

“Are you plannin' on marryin' that girl?” Before Duff could reply, Biff held out his hand. “I know. It's none of my business. But I'm talkin' to you as a friend, not just your friend, but as a friend to both of you. I know you have strong feelings for her, and she's certainly made no secret of how she feels about you. So, if you don't plan on marryin' her, the only right thing to do is to let her know how things are.”

Duff was silent for a long moment, drumming his fingers on the table.

Biff cleared his throat. “I'm sorry if I made you angry, Duff, for that wasn't my intention. I just felt that—”

Duff held his hand up to stop Biff in mid-sentence. “Ye haven't made me angry, lad, for there is truth in what you say. But there is Skye.”

“Skye is dead, Duff.”

“Aye, but there is still so much of her in my heart that I dinnae know if it would be fair to Meagan.”

“Duff, Skye loved you. Do you think she wouldn't want you to be happy?”

“There is much to what you say,” Duff replied.

“You're damn right there is. Look, I know I just spoke out of turn, but it's like I said. You are a good friend. If you were my brother, I wouldn't be talking to you any different than I am now. I've got to get back to the bar. You just think about what I said.”

Duff nodded. “Aye. I'll think about it.” He watched Biff walk away, recalling Skye, in memories that were sweet . . . and painful.

 

 

That was the sweet memory, but Duff couldn't have the sweet without the painful. Unbidden, that recollection sneaked in, as well.

 

 

Duff subsequently exacted a terrible revenge from those who had killed Skye, but that hadn't brought her back, and as he'd told Biff, the memory of her still burned in his heart. In truth, Meagan occupied just as much of his heart as did Skye. Would it be fair to Meagan to have to share him in such a way?

But Biff was right. Duff was going to have to make a decision soon. He was either going to have to commit to Meagan, or let her go.