Santa Fe Woman (7 page)

Jori was bewildered. “What killed him?”

“Nothing,” Rocklin said quietly with a look of wonder in his cornflower blue eyes. “I went over and picked him up. There wasn’t a mark on him. He just died.” He took the cigar that Billy had given him, bit the end off, spit it out the window then lit it. She watched him, wondering if the story had some meaning. When the cigar was glowing, he suddenly blew a series of perfect smoke rings. “Aren’t those rings pretty now? It took me a long time to learn how to make smoke rings.”

“Well, yes, I’m sure they’re very nice, but—”

“About that bird. It occurred to me that he didn’t have an idea when he woke up that morning that he was going to be dead that night. He didn’t know he was about to leave this earth.” Suddenly he removed the cigar, held it lightly, looked at it for a long moment, then he turned to face her. “Kind of like it is for us. When we wake up in the morning, as far as we know, it’s our last day on earth. We’re the same way as that bird, don’t you think?”

At that moment Jori had to rethink her position or at least the way that she would speak to this man. She expected a dirty, rough-looking mule skinner with blunt features and a rough speech, but one like that would never have made the observation that Rocklin had just made.

“I suppose you’re right,” she said, “but we can’t go back to bed and cover up, can we?”

“No, you’re right. I sure thought about that bird a lot though. What do you want to see me about, Miss Hayden?”

Now that Jori was confronted by the man’s direct gaze, she spoke very carefully. “My father wants to take a wagon train
loaded with trade goods to Santa Fe. We have a friend whose name is Albert Blanchard.”

“Al Blanchard? Why, he’s a friend of mine.”

“I know. He recommended you to lead the train across to Santa Fe, and I’ve come down to see if we could hire you to do that.”

Rocklin laughed shortly, took a puff on the cigar, and blew another smoke ring. “Maybe you didn’t notice this is a jail. There’s a lock on the door. Billy out there is a good fellow, but he’d shoot me if I tried to get away.”

“I’ve talked to the sheriff about this. He’s willing to release you in my father’s custody if you’re willing to take the job.”

“Billy said that?”

“Yes, he did.” Jori was very confident now. “About the money. I’m sure—”

“Miss Hayden,” Rocklin interrupted her, “I want you to know that I appreciate the offer, but I’ll have to turn you down.”

“But why? It would get you out of this place.”

“It would never work,” Rocklin shrugged. He leaned back against the wall and studied her thoughtfully. “I don’t think you folks have any idea what kind of a thing you’re proposing.”

“Mr. Blanchard told us it would be a hard trip, but we’re ready to take the chance.”

“
We’re
ready? What do you mean
we’re
ready to take the chance?”

“Why, my family and I. We’re going along.” Jori thought for one moment of telling him about their financial problems, but she was too embarrassed. “We thought we might buy a place and live in Santa Fe.”

Rocklin shook his head. “Well, Miss Hayden, I’ll tell you right now. I might get the train through, but no man with sense would take you and your family along.”

“But we’re ready to take the chance.”

“Well, I’m not. In the first place, I won’t work for a woman.” He saw her face grow stubborn and added quickly, “I don’t think you understand exactly what a wagon master is. Most people don’t. He’s like the captain of a ship, Miss Hayden. His word’s the law. For instance,” he said. He paused and took another puff on the cigar and blew two more smoke rings. “What would you do if we were halfway to Santa Fe and I told you to do somethin’ you didn’t want to do?”

“Why, we’d discuss it.”

“No. I’d make you do it the same way I’d make a man do it.”

Jori felt a flash of anger. She stared at him with rebellion in the set of her lips. He was watching her carefully, and she noted that he made an idle shape standing there. His lips had a rolling half smile, as if he knew the rules of a game that she didn’t. “I’m a reasonable woman,” she snapped, stung by his attitude.

“I don’t mean to be insulting, but you don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re not an outdoor woman, and I take it your family’s the same. When you’re on a trek like you propose, there has to be decisions made sometimes in an instant with no time for debate. The boss has to do some unreasonable things. Nope, thanks for the offer, but you’d better get yourself another man, Miss Hayden. But anyhow, I got me a good cigar out of your visit. I enjoyed talking with you. Talk to Blanchard. He knows lots of men that might do that job for you.”

Jori could not answer she was so stunned. “You mean you’d rather stay in jail?”

“Reckon so. It beats being dead.” Suddenly Rocklin moved to the door, rapped on it hard with his fist, and hollered, “Billy—we’re all done.”

Jori heard the lock rattle in the hasp so quickly she thought that the sheriff must have been outside listening. “Better put me back in my room. Me and Miss Hayden have finished our talk.”

Oswalt gave the pair a curious look, then nodded. “Miss Hayden, you go down to my office. I’ll take Chad back up to his cell.”

Jori waited until the two had vanished then got up and walked stiffly down the corridor. She moved through the door, and when she got into the sheriff’s office, she stood there waiting until he came back. “I take it Chad turned you down.”

“Yes. I don’t understand it. I don’t want to insult your jail, sheriff, but it seems to me like a man would do almost anything to get out of here.”

“Most men would, but Chad Rocklin now, he’s as stubborn as a blue-nosed mule. I reckon you’d better get yourself another fellow, Miss Hayden.”

“Well, I thank you for letting me see him, sheriff. The train doesn’t leave until morning for Little Rock. I’ll need a place to stay.”

“Hotel’s right down the street. You tell the clerk that I sent you down. He’ll give you a good price and look out for you. Sorry it didn’t work out, Miss Hayden.”

“Thank you, sheriff.”

* * *

THE ROOM WAS FRAMED with rough lumber, and there was a single window with a shade discolored by sun and rain. The bed was an old one of good make, but the mattress and quilt were almost unspeakable. The floor had been painted once but now was worn to a leprous gray.

Jori had eaten in the restaurant and then had made her way back quickly to the room. She had received several crude invitations from rough-looking men on the way and was relieved to get back in the room. There was no key for the door so she shoved the single, straight-backed chair under the knob.

It was still early, but there was nothing to do and no heat in the room, so she decided to go to bed. Pouring the icy water in the pitcher into a basin, she found she could not bear the cold water, so she hastily undressed and put on the heavy nightgown that she had brought. She also put on a pair of heavy socks and slipped under the covers, shaking almost violently with the cold. She thought of the warmth of her own bedroom with longing, and tried to go to sleep.

There were other guests in adjoining rooms, and the walls were so thin she could hear the profane talk of two men. She lay awake for a long time until finally a quiet came to the hotel. Her mind was on the mission that had brought her here, and she was disgusted that she had failed. She was a stubborn woman, accustomed to having her own way, and failure of any kind stirred a deep resentment. Her anger was concentrated on Chad Rocklin. She remembered his words about women and how he would point-blank refuse to work for one. She doubled up her fist and whispered, “He must be a fool! Only a stupid man would choose to stay in that place rather than get out and make some money!”

For more than an hour Jori tossed and turned, trying to think of some way out of her dilemma. Perhaps Blanchard did know someone else, but he had been so positive that Rocklin would be exactly the right man for the job. Finally she lay still, and her mind worked rapidly. An idea came to her, and eagerly she seized on it. She was an imaginative girl, quick-witted and strong-willed, and as she developed the scheme in her mind, she began to smile.
Finally she laughed and said aloud, “We’ll see in the morning who wins this argument, Mr. Chad Rocklin!”

* * *

“WELL, YOU’RE BACK, MISS Hayden.”

“Yes, sheriff. I wanted to ask your help.” Jori had eaten a poorly cooked breakfast at the restaurant and had waited impatiently until the sheriff’s office had opened at eight o’clock. She had been watching, and she saw that he was surprised as she plunged into her scheme. She had to behave a little differently from her ordinary ways, but Jori Hayden would have been a good actress. She tried to make herself as helpless as possible as she said, “Sheriff, I didn’t tell you everything. My family and I are in serious trouble….” She kept her voice soft on a pleading note, and looked up at him, holding her eyes wide open so that he could see how troubled she seemed to be. She told about how the financial panic had caught them and how this was the only way that they could possibly survive. Finally she said, “I know Rocklin said no, but I believe I thought of a way that you could influence him to change his mind.”

“Why, he ain’t an easy man to influence. What are you thinking?”

“If you could just make it clear to him somehow,” Jori whispered confidentially, “that if he doesn’t help me, he’s going to be in this jail for a
very
long time. Isn’t there some sort of … well, some sort of way that you could do that?”

Billy Oswalt was a man who loved his humor, and suddenly this seemed like a good joke to play on Chad Rocklin. Rocklin, as a matter of fact, had evaded Oswalt several times, and now the sheriff saw a way to get some of his own back.

“You know, I think I might be able to do that. We’ll try anyhow. You set right here, and I’ll go get him.”

The sheriff disappeared, but soon returned with the prisoner. Rocklin looked at her hard and nodded. “Good morning, Miss Hayden.”

“Rocklin,” the sheriff said abruptly, “Miss Hayden here has told me the deal she’s offered you. I don’t mind sayin’ I think you’re a fool for turnin’ her down.”

“You’re probably right, Billy, but that’s my decision.”

“Have you thought that you might be in this jail of mine for a year?”

“Why, the trial won’t take that long.”

“It might. You know how Judge Chatham is. He can be pretty hard tailed. He kept Mike Sidell in here coolin’ his heels for that long. I expect he might do the same for you if he gets his back up.”

“Why would he get his back up?” Suddenly Rocklin turned and his eyes gleamed as he studied Jori, then his eyes came back to the sheriff. “I see. The deal is, I either go help this woman or you keep me here in your jail for a year.”

“Well, the judge and me are pretty close, and you are a dangerous character.”

Silence filled the room, and Jori was holding her breath. “I hate to see a lady mistreated, Chad,” Oswalt said righteously. “Besides, you don’t have no business in here. Get out of Fort Smith, get out of the territory and go do somethin’ different.”

“So it’s take the job or stay here and rot. Is that right?”

“Your choice,” the sheriff grinned.

“Well, Billy,” Rocklin said with a slight smile, “you got the best of the argument.”

“Good! I’ll get your stuff. You take him out of here, Miss Hayden. But you remember, Chad, you’re in this young lady’s custody. If you give her any trouble, I’ll have you picked up and brought back.”

“Thank you so much, sheriff, for your help,” Jori said warmly. She stood waiting while the sheriff collected what seemed like an armory. There were two pistols in holsters attached to a belt and two rather strange-looking rifles that she had never seen the likes of before. Rocklin took them and said, “I guess I’m ready to go now. Thanks for your hospitality, sheriff.”

“You behave yourself now.”

“I’ll do my best. Tell your wife I enjoyed her good cookin’.”

As soon as they were outside, Jori said, “The train’s leaving here in less than two hours, Rocklin. We can settle your wages and duties when we get to our house.”

“I’ve got to take my horse. I won’t go without him. I’ll go back in jail first.”

“How could we take a horse?”

“They always have a car for stock going back toward Little Rock. I can ride with him and take care of him.”

“Very well. But let’s go arrange for the tickets now.”

* * *

THE TRAIN HAD PULLED out of Fort Smith at ten o’clock. Jori had waited while Rocklin had put his horse in the car along with his gear. She felt somehow uncertain and nervous about everything, not just about Rocklin but about the whole plan.

Finally as the train made its way through the mountains headed back to the south, Rocklin came in and sat down across
from her. “I thought I might find out a little bit about my boss,” he said.

Jori was startled. “Find out what?”

“Well, how old are you?”

“What difference does that make?”

“None.” Rocklin was smiling as if enjoying a joke of some kind. “Are you married?”

“No.”

“How come?”

Jori sat up straighter. “That’s none of your business, and it’s not pertinent to our relationship.”

“You want to ask me about myself? I’m not married. Don’t expect to be.”

“I don’t care in the least about your matrimonial adventures, and I thank you not to ask anymore personal questions.”

“Just as you say.” Rocklin suddenly leaned back, pushed his hat forward, and said, “Wake me when we get to Little Rock.”

Jori stared at him for he seemed to be totally relaxed. She somehow knew this man was going to be trouble, but she also knew that her life and those of her family would be in his hands. She sat upright, looking out the window as the scenery flowed by, wondering how she and her family would get along being under this man’s total control.

JORI WAITED IMPATIENTLY WHILE Rocklin examined the big stallion that he called Red. They had arrived in Little Rock in the middle of the night, and Jori was exhausted, her eyes gritty from lack of sleep. She watched as Rocklin went over the horse, patting him and speaking to him softly.